Models of Collaboration

MODELS OF COLLABORATION ELEMENTARY SCHOOL DVD

SCHOOL STAFF’S VIEWING GUIDE

Section One: Introduction

No Child Left Behind and IDEA 2004 require that all special education students have access to the general education curriculum. Many special education students are now receiving instruction in collaborative classrooms. General and special education teachers support classrooms with a heterogeneous distribution of students. The general education teacher provides curriculum expertise within the grade-level content area and a special education teacher serves as an intervention specialist providing alternate methods of instruction in order to meet varied student learning needs.

Section Two: Supportive and Station Teaching

Supportive Teaching: One teacher provides instruction while the other teacher monitors and assists. Supportive Teaching is fundamental to collaboration and is present in most models of collaborative teaching.

First Example: Supportive Teaching

·  Fourth-grade class.

·  General education teacher provides instruction to the whole group.

·  Special education teacher moves about, monitors, and assists.

·  Station teaching model becomes evident as groups are formed and each teacher works with a group while remaining groups work independently.

·  Through group rotation, all students benefit from small group instruction.

Notices / Wonders

Station Teaching: Both teachers provide instruction to small groups of students while remaining students work independently in learning stations.

Second Example: Station Teaching

·  Third-grade class.

·  Both teachers work with small groups while other students work independently.

Notices / Wonders

Section Three: Dual Supportive Teaching

Dual Supportive Teaching: Similar to Supportive Teaching but includes alternating teacher roles during each lesson.

First Example:

·  Fourth-grade class.

·  Special education teacher presents instruction to the whole group while general education teacher monitors and assists.

·  Station teaching becomes evident as the class moves into small group rotation with general and special education teachers each instructing a group while remaining groups work independently.

Notices / Wonders

Section Four: Alternative Teaching

Alternative Teaching: Allows the qualified general education teacher to provide content instruction to the whole group while the special education teacher or paraeducator works with a small group requiring specialized or one-on-one instruction in order to achieve desired objectives.

First Example:

·  Third-grade class.

·  General education teacher instructs whole group.

·  At the same time, the special education teacher works individually with a student to catch up on a missed lesson before taking an assessment.

Notices / Wonders

Second Example:

·  Fourth-grade class.

·  General education teaches standards based concept to whole group.

·  At the same time, a paraeducator teaches the same standards based concept to one student using materials on a different reading level.

Notices / Wonders

Section Five: Parallel Teaching

Parallel Teaching: After the highly qualified content area teacher introduces the lesson, the class divides into two groups and both teachers provide instruction to a group.

First Example:

·  Fourth-grade class.

·  General education teacher provides whole group instruction.

·  Class is divided into several groups.

·  Both teachers support two or more groups.

Notices / Wonders

Second Example:

·  Third-grade class is divided into two groups

·  Both general education and special education teacher provide standards based instruction to a group

·  Intensity of instruction on the standard varies from one group to the other

·  Students are intentionally placed in instructional groups

Notices / Wonders

Section Six: Collaborative Planning

Collaborative Planning: Scheduled and protected time for collaborative planning is essential to successful implementation of all collaborative teaching models. During this time, general education teachers must focus on effective planning to meet grade-level content standards while special education teachers support successful achievement of planned objectives by focusing on grouping strategies, selection and accommodations of materials and assessments, and student IEP goals. A shared commitment to learning for all students promotes full use and benefit from collaborative planning.

Notes from first example:

Use of Student-Learning Data / Logistics and Scheduling / Pacing and Materials Selection
General Education Teacher / Special Education Teacher

Notes from second example:

General Education Teacher’s Contributions / Special Education Teacher’s Contributions

Section Seven: Conversations with Collaborative Teachers

Clip 1: Jessie Creech and Susie Easterling

How do you approach the challenges of planning for individual students and grouping students?

Notices / Wonders

What suggestions would you offer to teachers who are new to collaboration?

Notices / Wonders

What are the critical features for implementing seamless collaboration?

Notices / Wonders

How does the administration support and sustain collaboration in your school?

Notices / Wonders

If given the choice, would you go back to teaching solo without collaborative supports?

Notices / Wonders

Clip 2: Melinda Roddy, Kristie Suarez, and Michelle Tindal

Why are there three members on your collaborative planning team?

Notices / Wonders

How do you sustain this unique team?

Notices / Wonders

What critical features must be present in order to have a successful and enjoyable collaborative team?

Notices / Wonders

What is the administrator’s role in collaboration?

Notices / Wonders

How do you build collaborative communities in your classrooms and avoid viewing children as special or general education students?

Notices / Wonders

Does collaborative planning and teaching happen immediately?

Notices / Wonders

Do you see yourself ever going back to a traditional role of solo teaching?

Notices / Wonders

How has collaboration influenced your philosophy of teaching?

Notices / Wonders

Section Eight: Seamless Collaboration Continuum

Dr. Edwin Ellis

The University of Alabama

Distribute the Seamless Collaboration Continuum handout prior to viewing this section. This section contains a detailed analysis of the delivery system for seamless collaboration, ranging from minimally intensive to extremely intensive collaborative activities.

Notices / Wonders

Section Nine: Administrative Interviews: Administrative support and active involvement is critical for promoting, maintaining, and sustaining collaboration.

Hiring / Staff Development
Planning / A Collaborative Culture
Notices / Wonders

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