Coteaching implementation

Website design By BotEap.comEven though it has been around for decades, co-teaching is now becoming one of the most popular buzzwords in education, specifically at the high school level. It has been a proven strategy in the elementary setting, and now secondary administrators are beginning to use the philosophy to improve instruction and reap the same benefits that emerged in elementary schools. The problem of co-teaching in secondary schools is the same with most primary school philosophies that are forced to enter the secondary school ranks; the teachers are not ready or willing to accept the change and the administration assumes that they are, and there is not enough training before applying the philosophy.

Website design By BotEap.comTeaching is an isolated profession, especially at the secondary level. Programs like grade-level team building and team teaching have only recently penetrated the walls of American high schools. High school teachers have stereotypically developed a possessive mindset about their classes and have rightly been defensive of change, especially when change involves giving up control of a classroom. So when co-teaching is suggested, most secondary school teachers are reluctant. That is a constant that is not going to change; what needs to change is the approach taken by administrators in the implementation process.

Website design By BotEap.comIf coaching is to be a direction for a school district, teachers must be informed about the implementation, strategies, and benefits that accompany the coaching philosophy. Matching teachers strategically and applying effective strategies are aspects of coaching that need to be addressed, but the goal of this article is to gain the value of communication from administration and between teachers during the implementation process. Secondary teachers don’t know what the term coteaching means; let me repeat, secondary school teachers don’t know what the term coaching means. Most high school teachers who teach in an inclusive setting see coaching as the content teacher leading the lesson and the special education teacher combing the classroom trying to help with the lesson. Any elementary school teacher could point out the giant flaw in that system; But the primary teachers have been trained and have already adopted the philosophy.

Website design By BotEap.comCoteaching students should be given time at the secondary level before the school year begins, preferably at the end of the previous year, to really learn and understand the material on coteaching. They should use videos of high school teachers using a team teaching approach with real high school students. They should be informed of the benefits of co-teaching by true high school teachers and high school students. They should be able to express their concerns openly, without fear of criticism, before actually beginning the coaching process. However, informing the faculty is not the end of the journey, but the beginning. It is the most vital step in the process.

Website design By BotEap.comWhen done right, co-teaching can be the answer to motivate students, raise test scores, motivate teachers, and reduce behavior problems. The solution for successful co-teaching strategies at the secondary level does not lie solely with the teachers; the solution is in the transmission of information. Coaching is too valuable an asset to lose in a stereotype.