Co-Teaching as a Methodology in 

Teacher Preparation

Kristin Dauk and Bridget WeigtNational Convening on Clinical Practice

Washington, DC November 14, 2011

Presentation Overview

During this presentation we will share:

•Co-teaching structures at MSU•Our rationale for using co-teaching•Our journey of implementation•Challenges we face and ways to address those challenges•Research results

Co-Teaching - General Definition

• An effective, evidence-based instructional strategy in which two or more caring professionals share responsibility for a group of students and work collaboratively to add instructional value to enhance their efforts -

Chapman & Hart Hyatt (2011)

Co-Teaching:  MSU Structure

• A Cooperating Teacher plus an MSU Teacher Candidate are the two caring professionals who share responsibility.

• They work collaboratively, add instructional value, and work to enhance learning for diverse groups of students.   

Co-Teachers...

• Consider the adults, the students, and their professional practices as they co-plan.

• Jointly decide how to best offer instruction - engage in substantive co-planning.

• Use a range of approaches/models.

• Collaborate for best results.

• Have strong administrative support.

• Discuss logistical issues to improve teaching and learning.

Co-Teaching Models

Aim = 60-70% co-teaching + 30-40% solo teaching

ComplementaryCo-Teaching

One Teach, One Observe

One Teach, One Support

Side-by-SideCo-Teaching

Station Teaching

Parallel Teaching

Alternative Teaching

Walk the TalkCo-Teaching

Team Teaching

Co-Teaching in COE Licensure Programs

• Professional development for faculty

• Modeling and learning about the co-teaching strategies/methods within MSU courses

• Shared lesson plan design across COE and content courses

• Opportunities for co-teaching strategies to be incorporated in pre-student teaching field experiences

MSU Program:   Why are we using the Co-Teaching Model?

MSU Vision and Rational for Co-Teaching

• Transition from the traditional model of the "Sink or Swim" approach

• Apprenticeship where extended time is spent co-planning/co-teaching with your partner

• Emphasis is on providing greater opportunities for enhanced K-12 student achievement

Research About Co-Teaching

• Critical resources are added for the partnership to use with a diverse population of students (Roth & Tobin, 2004; 2005)

• Enhanced opportunities for reflection on teaching and learning (Gallo-Fox et al, 2005)

• Significant achievement gains in K-6 co-teaching classrooms (SCSU)

Value-Added Co-Teaching

•Improve teacher to K-12 student ratio

•Increased professional growth

•Encourage quality MSU teacher candidate mentoring 1 + 1 > 2

MSU’s Co-Teaching Journey...

• Fall ‘08 – Spring ‘09: o COE faculty study research on changing student

teaching practices/options and attended training• Spring ’09: 

o Present future plan to PDS Governance Council and Field Experience Committee

o Co-teaching program approved and detail planning begins

• Fall ‘09: o Initial co-teaching trainings for faculty,

TOSAs/university supervisors o IRB approval

Journey

• Spring‘10: o Initial co-teaching training for 45 co-teaching pairs in

5 PDS Districtso Research Data Collection begano Presentation updates and discussions with all PDS

partner administrative teams• Fall‘10: 

o Training for 55 co-teaching pairs in 7 PDS Districtso Research Data Collectedo Co-teaching content inclusion within Blocks/Levels

of curriculum in COE teacher licensure programs

Co-Teaching Implementation

• Spring‘11: o Training for 100 Co-teaching pairs in 8 PDS Districtso Research Data Collected

• Fall‘11: o Training for 124 Co-teaching pairs in ALL partner

districts o Research Data Collected

• Spring ’12: o Training for 100% Co-teaching pairs in ALL partner

districts o Research Data to be Collected

Co-Teaching Pairs Training

• Held at the beginning of each semester with Cooperating Teachers, Teacher Candidates, and University Supervisorso Basics of the co-teaching methodologyo Research information o Co-teaching at MSUo Co-teaching strategieso Relationship development using:

Conversations to Get Started™ What Color is Your Personality

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

Challenges Addressed

• Embedding co-teaching in our teacher licensure programs• Professional development for faculty• University K-12 Secondary Coalition meetings

• Implementation in multiple K-12 districts• Initial pilot group with 5 of our PDS sites• PDS Administration and TOSA support was crucial for

success• Gradual implementation over 2 years in approximately 50

partnering districts

Challenges Addressed

• Fidelity of Program• Email reminders• Hold mid-semester co-teaching collaborations• Conversations with administrators • Monthly supervisors’ meetings• Observe co-teaching lessons through scheduled,

unscheduled, and walk-through visits• Triad relationship fostered between the university

supervisors and their teacher candidates, as well as the cooperating teachers

Challenges we have Addressed

• Training• Offered at the beginning of each semester

• Money• Support from our NExT Initiative

• Sustaining the program• Transitioning to online training sessions• Working toward placements in PDS districts where our

trained cooperating teachers practice

MSU Co-Teaching ResearchJanuary 2010- May 2011

Research Themes across three semesters....

Values

Planning

Communication

Teaming

Research Data Collection

Surveys

Co-Teaching Logs

Focus Group Interviews

Journal Entries

Final Student Teaching Evaluation Form

Pilot Study

• Purpose: to examine the academic engagement of students in secondary schools who are in co-teaching student teaching settings compared to more “traditional” student teaching classrooms

• Tool: EcoBehavioral Assessment System Software (EBASS)

• Results are still be analyzed.

Next Steps...

• Continued research with current methods...add K-12 achievement measures to co-teaching models.

• Add co-teaching (or teacher role) checklist for observations.

• Increase the inclusion of co-teaching in curricula and experiences in all teacher preparation programs within the College of Education, MSU.

• Increase inclusion of co-teaching in curricula and experiences in content area courses at MSU.