Effective Co-Teaching - Essay Example

? Case Study: Effective Co-Teaching Case Study: Effective Co-Teaching The effectiveness of a learning process in an inclusion class considerably depends on the cooperation between the classroom teachers and the special education staff members. Consequently, there should be effective procedures to implement a strategy that ensures that all educators have a common goal of ensuring success to all students.  An inclusive classroom not only eliminates the exclusion barriers, but also ensures success for all students regardless of students’ potential marginalization because of disabilities; hence reduce the disruptive behaviors associated with an inclusive educational system. However, there are bound misunderstanding between the special education staff and the classroom, which is as a result of poor coordination and cooperation, inefficient learning strategies among the educators, and negative attitude towards an inclusive classroom (Villa, Thousand, & Nevin, 2008). For example, the Sunnyslope Elementary school case study indicates a conflict between the classroom teachers and the special education staff whereby lack of collaboration has led to a blame game on student lack of success. Sunnyslope case requires careful steps and procedures to ensure that the balanced classroom schedules are balanced, and the collaborative relationship of special educations and classroom teachers is improved, which helps in defining a common goal focused on students’ success. The steps towards a successful learning environment in sunnyslope elementary school should implement the following steps towards the conflict resolution between the special educators and the classroom teachers. Step 1: Determining student support needs The conflict experienced in Sunnyslope elementary school is a result of poor understanding of the teachers concerning the students levels of support required. The paradigm shifts should be adhered to between the classroom teachers and the special education staff to ensure that the students’ needs are determined, and measures taken to make sure that various accommodation requirements are met in a classroom setting (Pastorex, 2011). Step 2: Enforce Collaborative teaching practices Classroom teachers and special education staff members should ensure that they work together in making the optimal classroom accommodation for all including students with disabilities. The interactive and co-teaching method should be implemented whereby the alternate roles of teaching, which will ensure that the teaching staff focuses on a common goal in the learning process, focused success among all students in an inclusive classroom. On the other hand, the special education teachers will feel incorporated in the learning schedules and will not have to provide classroom teachers with the students individual Educational Programs (IEPs) whereby they will have a schedule to enforce them appropriately according to each student’s need (Pastorex, 2011). Moreover, the special educators with the help of classroom teachers should develop inclusive Student’s IEPs that include information to support successful participation students in the general learning process in a classroom. Through an effective collaborative teaching practice, the classroom teachers will have an appreciative aspect of the role of the special educators in ensuring that the inclusion policy is not solely under the classroom teacher, but both the educators. Step 3: Effective Time planning and communication Time schedules and effective communication are significant aspects in ensuring an inclusive teaching practice. The co-teachers at sunnyslope should embrace parity and ensure that the lesson planning is based on grade-level expectations, which encourage the discussion of interpersonal skills and strengths between the special education and classroom teaches. Consequently, an appropriate co-teaching pair is achieved through the outlined IEPs for the classroom to meet the support needs of students with disabilities (Pastorex, 2011). Several procedures should put in place to in ensuring that the classroom teacher and the special education educator feel incorporated in the learning process. i. Establish a collaborative framework defining the interrelationship that should exist in ensuring the classroom and special teachers achieves a common goal. This procedure should outline the role of each educator and the schedule of handling the various students according to their IEPs, which will reduce the disruptive behaviors in a classroom. On the other hand, both educators will feel part of the educational process. ii. Time planning should incorporate a co-teaching schedule that indicates the schedules time that a special educator and classroom teacher is supposed to offer help to student accordingly. Consequently, disruptive behaviors because of time management will considerably decrease encouraging an effective overall learning process. iii. The responsibility of each educator should be written down to ensure that the classroom and special education teacher perform the required tasks, which will avoid the situation whereby the classroom teacher is being overloaded by the inclusion policy. Through the defined responsibilities, both educators in sunnyslope School will feel included and heard in the learning process. iv. Establish effective communication between the special education and classroom teachers to ensure that the team approach to utilize the strengths and experiences in delivering success to the students. The success of a conflict free inclusion class relies on the collaborative achievements of classroom and special education teachers. Application of collaborative strategies, inclusive and effective schedules, procedures, and forums to ensure that special education and classroom teachers are involved in the learning process would be an effective way to handle the conflict caused by in inadequate communication and collaboration of both educators in sunnyslope Elementary school. References Pastorex P. (2011). Co-Teaching Resource Guide: overview collaborative teaching. Louisiana Department of Education. Retrieved from Villa R. A., Thousand Ja. S., & Nevin A. I., (2008). A guide to co-teaching: practical tips for facilitating student learning, 2nd ed. New York, NY:Corwin Press. Read More