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How to Co-Teach and Maintain the Balance of Power
by Tiffany Tyndall
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Overview
In a co-teaching situation, two teachers are assigned to a classroom, one of whom is usually considered the regular education teacher while the other is the learning support teacher. Co-teaching has become more popular as more students are being identified with learning disabilities that require an individualized education plan with more one-on-one interaction between the student and teacher. While co-teaching has its successes, it can be ineffective if the balance of power has shifted in a negative way. The following suggestions will help you smooth out any power struggles that you may have with your co-teacher.
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Step 1
Identify one lead teacher for whole-class instruction. Since both teachers are fully certified classroom teachers, the temptation to divide whole-class instruction between you and your co-teacher may exist. Less planning time is always attractive; however, students need to view one teacher as the lead teacher so that they are not confused and so you have their undivided attention. If you and your co-teacher try to split whole-class instruction time, you'll end up with students wondering who the "real" teacher is. This can be embarrassing to you and is counterproductive to any sense of equality you may have been trying to establish by sharing the lead teaching.
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Step 2
Identify struggling students for the learning support teacher to target and for whom to create supplemental materials. The reason why two teachers are in a classroom together is so that the struggling students receive the help that they need. The learning support teacher has specialized in assisting students who need extra support and he or she would have the resources and background to more effectively supplement the regular education materials. This allows the lead teacher to lead the teaching, while the learning support teacher provides effective support to those with learning disabilities or other hindrances.
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Step 3
Address disagreements swiftly. One sure way to upset the balance of power between yourself and your co-teacher is to have unresolved conflicts. If the two of you disagree about something or have differing philosophies, air your differences in a private setting to avoid disagreements that cause tension in your classroom, which your students will pick up on. Handle your differences in the same way you would expect your students to handle their disagreements: with maturity.
