5 Tips for Co-Teaching Success

Co-Teaching can be one of the most rewarding, yet challenging experiences.  The co-teaching partnership is kind of like a marriage and usually it's an arranged one!  Often, two teachers are partnered up without knowing much about each other.  Administrators dealing with staffing issues may not be able to look at teaching styles and personalities before pairing teachers up.

Here are some tips on how to make your co-teaching relationship a successful one!

1.  Get to know your co-teaching partner.

It takes time to develop a rapport. Get to know your partner over the summer, if possible. Attend trainings together. Go out for lunch and chat about your family, interests, likes, and dislikes. The trust built over the summer will make the entire year run more smoothly.

Paraprofessionals In The Classroom - Working Together In Harmony

As a special education teacher, I have to collaborate with several adults throughout my day such as related service providers, general education teachers, parents, administration, special area team members, etc.  Through being a self-contained teacher, a push-in provider, and a co-teacher, collaborating with other adults is one thing that does not change.  With each new position, I have had the privilege of working with great teams of paraprofessionals.

Working with paraprofessionals in your classroom can be challenging but when done correctly, everybody benefits - especially your students.  It takes a lot of effort to make your classroom team work together collaboratively.  Here are some important things to remember that I have learned along the way: