Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network

Co-Teaching Professional Learning

Communityfor Administrators: Day Two

PaTTAN’s Mission

The mission of the Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance

Network (PaTTAN) is to support the efforts and initiatives of the Bureau of Special Education, and to build the capacity of local educational agencies to serve students who

receive special education services. 

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PDE’s Commitment to Least Restrictive Environment (LRE)

Our goal for each child is to ensure Individualized Education Program (IEP) teams begin with the general education setting with the use of Supplementary

Aids and Services before considering a more restrictive environment.

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Updates on Action Research Projects

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Today’s Objectives

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• Examine current co-teaching practices and effective practices (including planning time and program evaluation)

• Network with other administrators to ask questions and share out some of the trials and tribulations of co-teaching within their school/district

• Continue to use a Co-Teaching Considerations Framework

SUPPORTING CO-PLANNINGCo-Teaching PLC Day Two

Co-Planning Time

“Without time for sharing this expertise, teachers often teach a class the way they

have always taught it and there is not ‘value added’ by the second professional

educator.”Murawski, 2012 7

What is Co-Planning Time?Dedicated time

within the workday, several times per week,

for more than one teacher to meet and prepare the

co-teaching agenda

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Co-Planning and Team Logistics

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Scheduling Time for Collaboration

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Finding Face-to-Face Time

• Common Preparation• Parallel Scheduling• Adjust start/end time of day• Shared Classes• Group Activities• Banking Time• In-service/Faculty Meeting Time

Adapted from Dufour, 2006 11

Finding Face-to-Face Time

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“Making Time for Collaboration” Discussion

• Discuss one of the following strategies with a group:– Shared Classes– Group Activities– Banked Time

• Reflect upon the provided questions

• Report out to PLC

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Shared Classes

• How could you select teams to utilize this strategy?

• Would your current schedule provide common class times to implement this strategy?

• What grade levels in your school or district would be possible implementers of this strategy?

• How often could this strategy be used?

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Group Activities, Events and Testing

• How could administrators be aware of the planned non-instructional activities or events scheduled which could provide this time for planning?

• Who would supervise the students during this time?

• Would these activities or events provide enough regularly scheduled time?

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Banked Time

• How would you get buy-in from the teachers to use this strategy?

• Who could coordinate the use of banked time regarding students?

• How could teachers be held accountable for using the banked time for planning and how could that be monitored?

• How could you involve parents and community members implementing this strategy?

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Finding Time Electronically

•Emailing lesson plans and communicating via email•Exchanging personal contact information (texting, calling, etc.)•Communicating via other formal technology means such as:

– Pbworks http://pbworks.com/ – Wikispaces http://www.wikispaces.com/– Google groups http

://www.groups.google.com/– Skype http://www.skype.com/

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Co-Planning Expectations for Administrators

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Preparing for Co-Planning

• Each teacher should come to the planning meeting prepared:– General educator selects and brings

relevant curricular and resource materials

– Special educator supplies important student information and individualized/small-group resource materials

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Planning Questions

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Sample Meeting Agenda One

20% Review and Reflect-What worked?

-What didn’t work?

60% Plan Instruction

20% Assign Responsibilities

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T/TAC W&M

Sample Meeting Agenda Two

Date: Teachers: Subject:Upcoming curriculum

topics/units/lessons 4 minutes

Co-teaching arrangements and assignments

9 minutes

Challenges and strategies to help students succeed

7 minutes

Individual student matters 6 minutes

Housekeeping / Logistics 4 minutes

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Questions . . .

Do your teachers utilize a standard planning agenda when co-planning?

If yes, would you be willing to share it with the PLC?

If no, would you find a standard planning agenda beneficial in holding your teachers more accountable for their planning time? 23

Sample Lesson Plans

http://2teachllc.com/lessons.html 25

When Co-Planning is Lacking!

Lack of :•Time Management•Preparation•Listening or Parity•Initiative •Respect

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Administrative Support of Co-Planning

The administrator should…• Attend co-planning sessions• Praise successes• Provide constructive feedback• Listen to concerns and provide support• Adjust non-instructional

responsibilities to provide time for planning

• Provide administrative coverage to allow time for co-planning

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Considerations Framework

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SUPPORTING CO-TEACHINGCo-Teaching PLC Day Two

Administrative Training

• Training is essential - Administrators need to have a clear understanding of what co-teaching is and is not

• Administrative ownership is important

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Supporting the Co-Teaching Classroom

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Professional Development for Co-Teachers

Provide multiple professional development opportunities in co-teaching skills

• Collaboration• Conflict management• Team maintenance• Unit planning• Universal Design for Learning

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1. What do you do to show your co-teachers that you support them?

2. How do you provide feedback to your co-teachers?

Questions

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OBSERVING CO-TEACHINGCo-Teaching PLC Day Two

The Importance of Observation

• Builds relationships between staff and administration

• Allows for recognition of successes

• Creates a forum for constructive feedback

• Provides motivation for improvement

• Increases administrator awareness of co-teaching activities

• Promotes the educational achievement of every student

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Observing: What to ASK for

Hammill Institute on Disabilities 36

Observing: What to LOOK for

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Observing: What to LISTEN for

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1. What other things do you look for to see evidence of effective co-teaching?

2. What other things do you listen for to see evidence of effective co-teaching?

Questions

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A Framework for Teaching:Components of Professional Practice

Domain 4: Professional Responsibilities•Reflecting on Teaching•Maintaining Accurate Records•Communicating with Families•Contributing to the School and District•Growing and Developing Professionally•Showing Professionalism

Domain 3: Instruction•Communicating Clearly and Accurately•Using Questioning and Discussion Techniques•Engaging Students in Learning•Using Assessment in Instruction•Demonstrating Flexibility and Responsiveness

Domain 1: Planning and Preparation•Demonstrating Knowledge of Content and Pedagogy•Demonstrating Knowledge of Students•Setting Instructional Outcomes•Demonstrating Knowledge of Resources•Designing Coherent Instruction•Designing Student Assessments

Domain 2: The Classroom Environment•Creating an Environment of Respect and Rapport

•Establishing a Culture for Learning•Managing Classroom Procedures•Managing Student Behavior•Organizing Physical Space

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PROGRAM EVALUATIONCo-Teaching PLC Day Two

Program Quality

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Stages of Effective Co-Teaching

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Program Evaluation

• Student outcomes• Instructional setting • Parent response• School community

response

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Considerations Framework

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Essential Question of Co-Teaching

How is what co-teachers are doing together substantially different and better for kids than what each of them would do alone?

(Murawski & Spencer, 2011)

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Upcoming PLC Sessions:

• Next Webinar: • Next Face-to-Face Meeting:

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Contact Information www.pattan.net

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

Tom Wolf, Governor

PaTTAN Harrisburg(717) 541-4960(800) 360-7282 PA only

PaTTAN King of Prussia (610) 265-7321(800) 441-3215

PaTTAN Pittsburgh(412) 826-2336(800) 446-5607 PA only

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References

DuFour, DuFour, Eaker, & Many, (2010). Learning by Doing: A Handbook for Professional Learning Communities at Work™ (2nd ed., pp. 125–127) Solution Tree Press.

Murawski, W. W. (2012). 10 Tips for using co-planning time more efficiently. Teaching Exceptional Children, 44(4), 8 -15.

Murawski, W. & Dieker, L. (2013). Leading the Co-Teaching Dance: Leadership Strategies to Enhance Team Outcomes. Arlington, VA: Council for Exceptional Children.

Hammill Institute on Disabilities: http://hammill-institute.org/

William and Mary Training and Technical Assistance Center: http://education.wm.edu/centers/ttac/

2Teach: http://2teachllc.com/lessons.html 50