Ideas for Successful Collaboration & Critical Questions

Ideas for Successful Collaboration:

COLLABORATE!!Teachers should have a set planning/
collaboration time. This is when co-teachers touch base with one
another.
Establish rapport with one anotherTeachers should try to get to know each other outside of
the classroom and on a personal level. Find common ground and exciting differences.
Play off of one anothers strengths and weaknessesFinding out what you and your co-
teaching are good and bad at can lead to advantageous decisions on how/what will be taught in
the classroom.
Share responsibilitiesTeachers need to remember that Special
Education teachers are capable of completing many different tasks
and helping all students.

Critical Questions:
1. How will we ensure that we exhibit professional behavior?
2. How do we feel about certain habits in class such as eating/
drinking, cell phone usage, leaving during class, being unprepared, etc.Both teachers
should be on the same page so that students witness consistency.
3. How will address instructional routines within our co-taught classroom?Teachers should
have a set planning period to divide up lessons and keep the other up to date on information.
4. How will we address organizational routines within our co-taught classroom?Teachers
should relay the same information. It is confusing for students to receive different
information.
5. How will we as a team address behavior management within our co-taught classroom?The
expectations for students should be the same for both teachers. Co-Teachers
should be a TEAM.
6. How will we ensure that accommodations and modifications required by
individual IEPS are being implemented?This is another area that should be
discussed and managed during co-teachers set planning period.
7. How will divide the teaching load to ensure all students are getting the support
and small group instruction needed to be at/above grade level?
8. How will we as a team address grading within our co-taught classroom?
Teachers should create a system before the year begins and keep it.
9. How will we address contacting parents of students in our co-taught class?
Teachers should always be CCed into the email and be referred to when
contacting parents.
10. How will we address one another when we feel that students are receiving too much
assistance from a teacher?
11. How will we ensure that the IEPs of students with disabilities and the student learning
profiles of students in our class are being implemented in our classroom?Each teacher
should assume equal responsibility.