Consultation, Collaboration and Co-teaching

1. Consultation, Collaboration and Co-
teaching
Megan Waldeck
Harrison Wibeto
Dustin Wicarius
Masooma Yousuf

2. Collaboration vs. Co-Teaching
Collaboration is whenever two or
more people work together to enhance
the learning experience. It could be
student to student, teacher to teacher or
also teacher to parent and other
community members. This cooperative
effort encourages a sense of community
in schools and among staff as well as a
farther reaching communal feeling
between school to the students home.
Co-Teaching occurs when two or
more teachers work alongside each other
to instruct students or prepare lessons.
This divides the responsibilities of
teachers including class management,
lesson delivery, and assisting students.

3. Have you collaborated with your classmates
when you were a student?
● Explain why you did or
why you did not?
“Yes, I collaborated many
times. In projects I liked to
be a leader When it came
to classwork I tended to
work by myself when I was
younger, but grew to work
more with peers in my older
years.”
“Rarely, my elementary
and high school years
involved some
collaboration. It wasn’t
until college that group
projects and study groups
were common.”
“Not throughout my whole
student life. But yes, in
college days I use to have
collaborated sessions with
my friends. In school days,
my main focus was on
individual study.”
“Yes! However,
collaboration by my own
accord was scarce in
elementary and middle
school. By high school
however, I was finally
utilizing peer collaboration
in all my classes.”

4. Explain why you did or why you did not.
● Explain why you did or
why you did not?
“ I liked leading in groups
because I often had a creative
vision and wanted to see it come
to fruition. Math was my favorite
subject as a kid and I think I
didn’t want to collaborate
because I wanted to finish first.
As I grew older and more social,
I wasn’t afraid to ask for help (nor
so petty). “
“In my K-12 education group
work was not often assigned
or required. In college when
material was becoming more
challenging and large scale
group projects were the norm I
learned the value of
collaboration.”
“By course design, we were
required to work in small
group of 4-5. These
collaborative sessions
helped us not only in finding
the solution of difficult
problems, but also to create
a healthy competition within
the group.”
“At a young age I was very
scared of being wrong. I didn’t
want to work with others
because of my lack of
confidence. As I got older I
came to understand that
working and getting support
from others could actually
build my confidence.”

5. Do you believe collaboration has a potential to
enhance students’ learning and their social skills?
● Explain why you did or
why you did not?
“Yes! Students need these social
experiences in the classroom
because it helps them
understand their thinking, maybe
a student in a class speaks to
them more effectively than I can,
and it forces them to engage with
others they may have avoided.”
“Definitely. Encouraging
students to seek help
from one another is an
important life skill that
teaches us while we may
not be able to solve
something, our peers just
might.”
“Yes, of course it is a healthy
tool. Collaborative sessions
significantly impact their
learning and development of
social skills and prepare
them to face constructive
and healthy criticism which
lead to a strong personality”.
“100% I do. In regards to
social skills, students learn
soft skills that they can take
with them throughout
school and into the
workplace. They learn to
actively listen, offer help
and accept help from
others.”

6. What do you think about collaborating with
your peers on the job?
● Explain why you did or
why you did not?
“I think collaborating with my
peers has been informative. I
can have tunnel vision on an
idea and luckily a coworker
will spot an oversight or
priority hindering it long before
I wasted time or it became an
issue.”
“When I’ve collaborated
with peers on the job it
has always been a
learning exercise and
extremely helpful for
acquiring new work
strategies.”
“Collaborating with peers
and colleagues always
helped to widen my
vision. I got a chance to
see things from different
angles and
perspectives.”
“Collaborating with peers
can allow for deeper
understandings, new ideas,
improvement of one’s skills,
and so much more. Work
smarter not harder!”

7. Benefits of Collaboration
Collaboration among Teachers
❏ Allows the inclusion of SPED students receiving services in a
general education classroom.
❏ Limits the student-to-teacher ratio
❏ Improved classroom management capabilities
❏ More perspectives = more teaching opportunities
Collaboration among Students
❏ Grows social skills
❏ Encourages students to share their own ideas
❏ Challenges students’ thinking by hearing different perspectives
from other students
❏ Can create a deeper understanding of the topic on hand
Inclusive
Opportunities
Support
Engaging
Challengin
g
Social

8. Varieties of Collaboration: Adult to Adult
Adult Collaboration in education is mostly the collaboration between school staff (teachers and administrators)
as well as with adults outside of school (parents and community members.)
Some benefits of school staff members working together in education include
● Increased sense of school unity
● Different points of view on matters like classroom management and curriculum
● Knowledge of a teachers surrounding classrooms and students ongoings
Some benefits of school staff and parents or community members working together are
● Encouraging parent involvement in school as well as academic involvement at home
● Bridging the gap between school and home for students and parents
● Helping teachers gain a better understanding of a students home life and culture

9. Varieties of Collaboration: Student to Student
Students collaborating together is an excellent way to build social skills and a sense of inclusiveness in the
classroom. By allowing students to work together to solve problems and complete tasks it allows them to share
responsibilities and learn the value of teamwork.
Student to student collaboration benefits soft skills by
● Allowing students to socialize in a productive manner towards a common goal
● Encouraging students to trust one another and foster good relations
● Helps students understand that multiple perspectives can bring about better solutions
Student to student collaboration benefits the classroom setting by
● Having some more relaxed class time where talking is acceptable
● Let’s students have more agency in the learning process
● Testing students ability to handle working responsibly in a group setting
● Encouraging acceptance of diversity as well as developing positive
relationships between students

10. Steps to Ensure Effective Learning Outcomes
for Students Through Co-Teaching
1. Discuss strengths and weaknesses of each instructor to utilize them effectively
2. Discuss individualized education plans and regular education goal
a. Mutual discussion while planning regular and special education goals is important for effective execution of
these plans towards co-teacher goals.
b. Understand it's difficult to educate a child if you’re unaware of their special needs.
c. Discuss the modifications and accommodations as well as the goals and objectives to ensure student
success in the classroom

11. Steps to Ensure Effective Learning Cont.
Scheduling
Expected classroom behaviors
Classroom procedures, such as class work and homework policies, turning in work
Consequences of not following rules and procedures
Grading
Communication between home and school
3. Formulate a plan of action and act as a unified team
In order to minimize disruptions and increase effectiveness formulate a plan of action;
which can include the following:
4. Assess student learning outcomes regularly and make changes where necessary

12. Barriers to Collaboration and Co-teaching
Barriers:
1. Time
2. Grading
3. Student Readiness
4. Teacher Readiness
a. Individualism
b. Conflict of interests
c. Competition
d. Differences of opinions
e. Learning styles
Barriers To
Successful
Collaboration
Time
Grading
Teacher
Readiness
Student
Readiness

13. Overcoming Those Barriers
1. Time:
a. Set up a time to meet each week
b. Use your time wisely to plan, prepare, check in, and assess
c. Stick to that schedule to show commitment
2. Grading:
a. Determine how students will be evaluated prior to the start of the school year
b. Willing to review your process and make changes where needed
3. Student Readiness:
a. Understand that simply including students into gen-ed may not ensure their success
b. Be realistic with expectations
c. Recognize the gaps in preparation between students
d. Extra prep may be needed to assist students with disabilities

14. Overcoming Those Barriers Cont.
4. Teacher Readiness:
a. Individualism
i. Still allow for some separation such as own desk/classroom space
b. Conflict of interests/Differences of opinions/Teaching Styles
i. Constant and truthful communication
ii. Discuss goals, strengths and weaknesses, styes, and expectations
iii. Co-create rules, procedures, and lessons
iv. Address conflicts immediately
c. Competition
i. Communication: Get to know each other on a personal level in order to foster a trusting
and respectful partnership
ii. Understand that you both want what’s best for your students
iii. Establish roles for the classroom that are both equally authoritative

15. Options for Collaboration & Co-teaching
Co-teaching and Implementing collaboration amongst your students are
related in that they both involve effectively utilizing the resources you have. In
one, you have two professional teachers, and the other, your students.
Co-teaching: Co-teaching involves multiple teachers working together. This
can revolve around planning content and/or having two teachers in a
classroom teaching simultaneously. Teachers can capitalize on this
arrangement best when they react to their students needs and arrange
themselves according to those needs- both in their roles (ex. small group
support, general instruction, team teaching, observing, conferencing) and
physically (as seen in the figure).
Student Collaboration: Students can work together in a number of ways.
Based off performance levels they can be separated into heterogeneous
groups, or homogeneous groups. In heterogeneous groups the content can
be differentiated at their level so advanced students are being challenged,
and students approaching grade-level will not be frustrated. This setup also
allows a teacher to work with those below grade-level at their level of
instruction, providing that small group support while those at advanced levels
are challenged by more independent thinking.

16. Practical Collaborative Example
Example: Student led discussion groups for an assigned reading
● Allow students to have specific roles in the group to keep them engaged
-Ex. Moderator, Communication Mapper, Scribe
● The teacher provides tasks and guidelines but then takes a step back
Benefits:
● Deepens understanding of the book or reading material
○ Students build on ideas from one another
○ Students are challenged with new ways of thinking
● Encourages students to take risks with their ideas
● Allows students to be a more active part of the conversation
● Social Skills Growth: Active listening, respecting others’ ideas, providing help, and accepting
help
Environment:
Students In Your
Own Classroom

17. Practical Collaborative Example 2
Example: General Education Teacher and Special Education Teacher occupy the same
classroom
● Both teachers share equal responsibility for grading, creating lessons, all class discussion
and modifying instruction for students with IEPs
● Teachers provide their areas of expertise as they collaborate on planning and instruction
Benefits:
● Having twice as many teachers means that there are twice as many experiences to relay
and connect with students
● It allows entirely integrated special education instruction where it is hard to identify those
receiving the services
● Because of different philosophies (that is at first a barrier), teachers learn their strengths and
Environment: Peers
In The Classroom
(Co-teachers)

18. References
Dieker, L. (n.d.). Cooperative Teaching. Retrieved February 14, 2018, from
http://www.specialconnections.ku.edu/?q=collaboration%2Fcooperative_teaching
E. (2012, December 05). Collaborative Learning Builds Deeper Understanding. Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWEwv_qobpU
Friend, M Phd. (2006, August). Co-teaching: Concepts, Practices, and Logistics [Book]
Iris Center, The Instructional Accommodations & Co-Teaching: A Broken Arm. Retrieved February 12, 2018, from
https://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/wp-content/uploads/pdf_activities/case_based/IA_Broken_Arm.pdf
Iris Center, (2008). Collaborating with families. Retrieved February 12, 2018, from https://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/module/fam/
TedX Talks. (2012, August 1). Co-teaching: Avoiding the Clash of the Titans: Jessica Stamler at TEDxMCPSTeachers [Video file].
Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_k8rbv9ccY