Respond to 2 classmates and instructor dq’s for week 5

 Again, though two replies is the basic expectation, for deeper engagement and learning, you are encouraged to provide responses to any comments or questions others have given to you (including the instructor) before the last day of the discussion; this will further the conversation while also giving you opportunities to demonstrate your content expertise, critical thinking, and real world experiences with this topic. The teacher Dr. Todd below    You are correct in recognizing the importance of communication as a basis in co-teaching. Just like in a substitute teaching situation, children will see one teacher as less than another if one of the teachers does not have authority in the classroom. So how can authority and thus “equality”in the classroom be established? This question I am addressing to you.  How would you actually handle this?  I will give you one idea of how I would handle it but I would like for you to come up with your own ideas. When team teaching begins each teacher will address the class and share the ground rules for behavior, for instance, Consequences will be the same despite the teacher who deals with the student. This is similar to what goes on between a husband and wife with children.  The rules are the rules. One teacher does not change them when another teacher is the disciplinarian.  Dr. Todd  Using an unbiased perspective of both teachers, what do you think is the cause of this conflict?      The cause of the conflict is first the person who had gotten hired as the co-teacher to the students throughout the day, did not make the impression that he/she wanted to plan and co-teach. There is even a lack of communication between him/her and the other teacher. In most cases similar to this scenario is that the teachers have not gotten a chance to meet one another and had time to develop a quick routine. The teachers should have compared his/her weaknesses and strengths so they are able to sort out which one will do what in the classroom with the students. One teacher tends to have more experience in the teaching field as to where the other teacher only had limited experience. The way I see it and probably from a supervisor’s view that there is lack of communication between the two teachers. It is all the collaboration can either go two ways, there is the way that it can go smoothly where both teachers will work together, or it could go the direction to where it leads to miscommunication or differing goals (Murawski & Spencer, 2011, p. 122). The other perspective could be that the teachers needed to collaborate before beginning the class, this way the teachers are on the same page, and one doesn’t feel like she is not doing anything to help.     In a real life situation this happened to myself when I was working at a head start center. The teacher was very OCD into everything had to go her direction and she was supposed to be teaching me the ways and paper work that we had to do. I offered my help but she would be just like no I go it, and I would just do the simple things like walk around the classroom and help when the children needed it. As it was mentioned the children went to the teacher not really realizing she was around, which was the same in my situation.  Even with communication ours ended up being the miscommunication it turned out to be the one teach, one support (OT/OS) is how our classroom was run but it later go into the portion where it was all about her planning and guiding the students.  2)Discuss a plan for communicating effectively with the co-teacher using what you’ve learned so far including how you will document the meeting and a follow- up plan to reevaluate your team’s success.    The plan for communicating effectively with the co-teacher is to have a sit down meeting and discuss what the plan will be. A way that this can be planned on would by using the what, how, and who approach to plan out the lesson plan by using both the teacher’s ideas to support the plan.  This way the teachers can propose together what would benefit the students. Another form of communication idea would be using the six methods of successful teaching by the National Education Association (NEA), which are to: establishing rapport- strengths and weaknesses, blend teaching styles- compare strategies from previous teachings, leverage strength and weaknesses which that is compared to the first part of establishing rapport, review the IEP’s go over what students will need what kind of action, teach as a united team- learn together, solve together ,and then grow together- which will give the teachers the opportunity to learn from each other and teach each other. The best way to have an effective classroom with a co-teacher is to be a team and rotate days on teaching the class.      Marston, N. (2010).  6 Steps to successful co-teaching: Helping special and regular education teachers work together. Retrieved from http://www.nea.org/tools/6-steps-to-successful-co-teaching.html   Murawski, W. & Spencer, S. (2011). Collaborate, communicate, and differentiate: How to increase student learning in today’s diverse schools. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.      Debra Jones Role Play: We All Work Better, Together!   Using an unbiased perspective of both teachers, what do you think is the cause of this conflict? When we look at co-teaching, we think about how it benefits and can be explored as the avenue for students with disabilities to receive the general education curriculum in a general education setting with specialized instruction.  Both teachers will be able to deliver their expertise by using differentiated instruction.  I think the cause of the conflict is the teachers did not get to know each other and talk out their role and expectations in co-teaching. Lack of communication is part of the problem because they did not sit and discuss plans and preparation for a lesson or the class setting. The teachers did not acknowledge each other instructional and discipline styles in teaching special needs students and non-special students. If the teachers do not understand each other position in teaching then, it will cause a problem. However, if the teachers implement real collaboration and communication with each other and discuss each other strengths and weakness in the instructional process, then conflicts will be resolved. The teacher needs to recognize how they can better service the students and when it is better to services the students’ needs in a positive environment. “Perspective sharing establishes the groundwork for constructive problem solving (Windle & Warren).  To make the class much manageable it will be good to complement one another on the delivery of the instruction. To create a cohesive classroom with consistency and expectations both teachers should be on the same page in implementing a solid education and positive discipline.       Discuss a plan for communicating effectively with the co-teacher using what you’ve learned so far including how you will document the meeting and a follow- up plan to reevaluate your team’s success. For the teachers to be successful in communicating effectively in co-teaching, the teachers must implement and share their responsibilities, planning, and teaching and assess the students’ progress in class discussion, activities, and lesson. Co-planning enabled teachers to create more uniform instructional plans that were able to be differentiated to meet the needs of all students in an inclusive setting (Fennick & Liddy, 2001; Murawski & Dieker, 2004; Thousand, Villa, & Nevin, 2006).The plan begins with applying a scheduled time for the meeting, fixed period on each lesson to be a plan and discuss, and select a place where there is no distraction and interruptions and finally make sure that this processed weekly or as needed. Before each planning session, both teachers decide on content and objectives to be covered in the lesson and the IEP goals. The teacher review all the materials that are needed and agree upon which is best for each students learning styles. The teachers will consider accommodation and modification that will be required to help make their teaching success. Also during the planning session the teacher will clarify instructional objectives, brainstorm different strategies, and techniques to use during the lesson. In the plan each teacher will have their role in implementing the lessons, preparing materials and setting time for the activity and developing written plans for each other to follow during their class time for teaching. Finally, they both will evaluate the students’ outcomes and then assess each other in making instructional changes to strategies and procedures that did not work.                                                                     References   Education Support Center. (2013, September 6). Co-teaching: Some approaches  to co-teaching. Retrieved from http://www.jmu.edu/coe/esc/consortium/Co-Teaching.shtml                                                                        Marston, N. (2010).  6 Steps to successful co-teaching: Helping special and regular education  teachers work together. Retrieved from http://www.nea.org/tools/6-steps-to-successful-co-teaching.html Murawski, W. & Spencer, S. (2011). Collaborate, communicate, and differentiate: How to  increase student learning in today’s diverse schools. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.    Chapter 9: Addressing Conflict and Engaging in Problem Solving             http://www.nea.org/tools/6-steps-to-successful-co-teaching.html Villa, R. Thousand, J., & Nevin, A. (2008). A Guide to Co-Teaching: Practical Tips for Facilitating Student Learning (2nd. Ed.). Thousand Oaks, California: Corwin Pres.(800) 818- 7243 Windle, R., & Warren, S. (n.d.). Collaborating problem solving: Steps in the process. Retrieved              from http://www.directionservice.org/cadre/section5.cfm