Co-teaching sounds simple until two adults are standing in the same classroom trying to decide, minute by minute, who is doing what.

That is where the struggle often begins.

Too many co-teachers are handed model names, but not the practical details they need to make those models work with real students, real schedules, limited planning time, and different levels of content expertise.

The Reference Guide that Solves the Problem

The HOW of Co-Teaching: 24 Classroom Implementations at a Glance gives teachers, specialists, instructional coaches, and administrators a quick, practical way to choose co-teaching approaches that fit the lesson.

Not the other way around.

Based on Chapter 2 of Best Practices in Co-Teaching and Collaboration: The HOW of Co-Teaching, Implementing the Models, this guide moves beyond “one teaches and one helps.” It shows what each adult can actually do during instruction so both professionals are used well.

Inside, you will find 24 co-teaching implementations organized by:

• Planning time required
• Specialist content expertise needed
• Best use for each approach
• What the implementation looks like in the classroom
• Chapter support for lesson chunks, co-planning, grouping, and routines

Use it during co-planning. Keep it handy for coaching conversations. Pull it out when a team is stuck in the same one or two models and needs a better option.

Co-teaching works best when roles are clear, planning is realistic, and both adults know how to contribute without stepping on each other or standing on the sidelines.

This guide gives teams a practical place to start.

FAQ

What is a co-teaching model?

A co-teaching model is a structured way for two educators to share instruction in the same classroom. Different co-teaching models help teams decide who leads, who supports, how students are grouped, and how both adults contribute during a lesson.

How do teachers choose the right co-teaching model?

Teachers choose the right co-teaching model by looking at the lesson goal, the amount of planning time available, the specialist’s content expertise, and what students need during instruction. The best model fits the lesson, rather than forcing the lesson into the same routine every time.

Why do co-teaching teams need more than model names?

Co-teaching teams need more than model names because knowing a label alone does not explain what each adult should actually do during instruction. Practical implementation details help teams clarify roles, avoid confusion, and use both professionals more effectively in the classroom.

Download the reference guide and choose the implementation that fits your next lesson.

Want more practical support for teachers?

I offer professional development for schools on co-teaching, collaboration, learning strategies, and supporting students who learn differently.

Education Programs & Workshops
Co-Teaching Training / Consulting
Free educator download
Substack sign-up

If you are here because you care about supporting teachers, you may also like:

Co-Teaching Support for Schools
Practical Learning Strategies for Struggling Students
Paraprofessionals and Teachers Working Together – Unlocking the Power of Collaboration for Student Success

The post How Co-Teaching Models Work in Real Classrooms appeared first on Susan Fitzell.

Scripts for Hard Conversations Without Damaging the Relationship

The Reality of the Co-taught Classroom

If you asked me, “What is one thing you should never say to your co-teacher?” my reply would be, “Don’t announce to the class that you are superior, and your co-teacher is inferior.”

I was co-teaching biology with a Biology teacher who could say the meanest things with a smile on his face. One day, I was teaching the parts of the heart. When I finished explaining the difference between the inferior vena cava and the superior vena cava, he told the class, “Yes, it is just like Mrs. Fitzell and I. She’s the inferior vena cava, and I’m the superior vena cava.”

The class laughed. I felt humiliated, diminished, and betrayed.

Months later, when we were reviewing the eye, which has an inferior oblique and superior oblique, he repeated the analogy again. He thought it was funny. I thought it was mean.

These were two of the most humiliating experiences I had while co-teaching because he said these things in front of the entire class.

This story shows how easily a relationship is damaged in front of students. The fastest way to ruin a partnership is to act superior in the classroom. When one teacher is treated like an assistant, the students notice. They stop seeing that person as a real teacher. This post provides practical language to handle these hard moments. You can say the hard thing without damaging the professional bond. It all comes down to one thing: parity.

Understanding Parity in Plain English

Parity is a state where both teachers are respected and valued. It means students see both adults as active participants in their education. When parity exists, neither teacher is just a helper. Both own the classroom. One small change in your wording can build this respect. Use the table below to shift from solo ownership to shared leadership.

Once you share ownership of the room, you need to look at the specific words you use in your daily interactions.

The Power of “And” Over “But”

There is a “No Buts About It” rule in collaboration. The word “but” usually cancels everything you said before it. It acts as an anchor for an argument. The word “and” is different. It acknowledges the other person. It connects your thought to theirs and allows the conversation to move forward.

Consider these three pivots:

• The “Hard Work” Shift: Instead of “I know you worked hard, but the students were confused,” try, “I know you worked hard, and I noticed students were confused during independent practice.” This makes your colleague feel acknowledged rather than dismissed.
• The “Idea” Shift: Instead of “That is a great idea, but we don’t have time,” try, “That is a great idea, and let’s decide where it fits in the plan for this week.” This treats the idea as a contribution instead of a burden.
• The “Planning” Shift: Instead of “I know you are busy, but we have to plan,” try, “I know you are busy, and we need a planning routine so students benefit from both of us.” This focuses on a shared goal instead of a personal demand.

Small shifts like these move the focus from past mistakes to future success.

Coaching the Future vs. Shaming the Past

There is a big difference between criticizing and coaching. Criticism uses “should have” and focuses on the past. No one can change the past. This phrasing only causes resentment and shame. Coaching focuses on “next time” or “in the future.”

“You can’t build a relationship with a hammer.”

Use these three coaching pivots to protect your colleague’s professional face. Always try to request instead of giving orders.

1. On Complexity: Change “You should have thought about how hard this was” to “Next time, let’s think through the complexity before we execute.”
2. On Changes: Change “You should have told me you were changing the activity” to “Next time, please let me know before the activity changes. I want to support the students well.”
3. On Orders: Change “You’ll have to do the accommodations” to “Could you please review the accommodations so we both know what students need?”

These phrases maintain trust because they offer a path forward. When we are frustrated, our words tend to stretch the truth.

Watching for Language “Warning Lights”

Certain words act as warning lights. When you say “never,” “always,” or “no one,” you are likely speaking out of frustration. These words are rarely facts.

“Exaggeration is truth that has lost its temper.”

Swap these extremes for specific facts:

• The Attendance Issue: Instead of “You never attend co-planning sessions,” try “This is the second time we missed planning together. We need both our areas of expertise there.
• The Materials Issue: Instead of “You are always late with materials,” try “This is the second time the materials were not ready. Please let me know in advance if the plan changes.”

Specifics allow for a calm conversation. You can start showing this respect in the first few minutes of the school day.

The Five-Minute Parity Plan

A simple way to build authority is to have the co-teacher lead the first five minutes of class. This teacher can lead a review activity while the other teacher observes. This small shift creates several benefits:

• Students see the co-teacher as a leader. They see a credible authority.
• The teacher leading the review learns the content more deeply.
• The teacher who is not leading has time to collect student data.
• Students get a review using methods other than a verbal-linguistic lecture.

Public leadership is vital, but private communication must remain the priority.

Closing: Practicality Over Perfection

These scripts are starting points. They are not magic words. You must deliver them in a calm tone without any hint of sarcasm. A respectful sentence said with sarcasm will still damage a relationship.

These scripts are starting points. They are not magic words. You must deliver them in a calm tone without any hint of sarcasm. A respectful sentence said with sarcasm will still damage a relationship.

Don’t try to fix everything in one day. Pick one phrase and try it. The goal is not to win an argument. The goal is to keep enough trust in the relationship so you can both serve your students. Professional relationships stay strong when we address concerns one-to-one and keep respect at the center of the room.

Video: What to Say to Your Co-Teacher | Co-Teaching Communication and Parity

FAQ

What should I say to my co-teacher during a hard conversation?

Start with language that protects the relationship while addressing the issue directly. Use specific observations, focus on future solutions, and frame concerns around shared goals for students. Phrases like “Next time, let’s…” or “I noticed…” are more productive than blame-based language.

Why is parity important in a co-taught classroom?

Parity matters because students notice how teachers treat one another. When one teacher is seen as less important, the classroom relationship weakens and student respect can shift. Shared language, shared leadership, and mutual respect help both teachers maintain credibility and support students more effectively.

How can co-teachers handle conflict without damaging the relationship?

Co-teachers can handle conflict more effectively by speaking privately, using calm and specific language, avoiding exaggeration, and focusing on what should happen next rather than attacking what already happened. Respectful communication helps preserve trust while still addressing real concerns.

Want more practical support for teachers?

I offer professional development for schools on co-teaching, collaboration, learning strategies, and supporting students who learn differently.

Education Programs & Workshops
Co-Teaching Training / Consulting
Free educator download
Substack sign-up

If you are here because you care about supporting teachers, you may also like:

Co-Teaching Support for Schools
Practical Learning Strategies for Struggling Students
Paraprofessionals and Teachers Working Together – Unlocking the Power of Collaboration for Student Success

The post What Do I Say to My Co-Teacher? appeared first on Susan Fitzell.

Part 2: How to Structure Lessons with Chunking Lesson Plans™.

A strong 10-minute core teach is clear, focused, and intentional. The time you save provides the time you need for practice, grouping, reteaching, and enrichment.

In Part 1, we looked at one of the biggest reasons lesson planning takes too long: teachers often try to solve every learning problem by extending whole-class direct instruction.

• You explain a concept.
• Some students look confused.
• You explain it again.
• A few students still look confused.
• So, you explain again.

Before long, 20 or 25 minutes of class time are gone. Some students are bored. Some students are still lost. Practice time has been squeezed. Grouping has had little room to be intentional. You leave class feeling as if you worked incredibly hard, yet still did not reach everyone.

That is exhausting.

And it is not necessary.

The answer is not to lower expectations. The answer is to change the structure.

• Teach the core concept.
• Stop.
• Check understanding.
• Group, practice, reteach, enrich.
• Pull students back together.
• Check again.
• Assign do-able homework.

That is the heart of Chunking Lesson Plans™.

How to Plan a 10-minute Core Teach

A 10-minute core teach must be focused.

This is not the time to explain everything you know about the topic. It is not the time to give every possible example. It is not the time to wander into interesting but unnecessary information.

Ask yourself:

• What is the essential concept students need today?
• What must all students understand?
• What vocabulary do they need?
• What is one strong example?
• What is one quick check for understanding?
• What visual, cue, or model will help students access the idea?

For example, if the objective is genre, the core teach might include:

• A simple definition of genre.
• Three examples of genre.
• A quick visual organizer.
• A “Which one is it?” check.
• One student-friendly explanation.

Then stop.

That is the hard part.

Teachers are used to filling space with more explanation. But more explanation is not always more learning.

Sometimes more explanation simply uses up the time that should have been available for practice, feedback, grouping, and intervention.

What to do After the Core Teach

After the core teach, the lesson transitions to a reinforcement activity that engages students more directly.

That reinforcement might be movement into partner practice, same-ability groups, mixed-ability groups, independent work, teacher-led reteach, enrichment, or a quick formative assessment.

The point is that the teacher is no longer assuming (and hoping) that students understood the initial core teach.

Rather, the teacher uses student responses to decide what happens next.

In a 40-minute class, the structure might look like this:

• Five minutes: warm-up
• Ten minutes: core teach
• Five minutes: quick formative check or “ticket” to see who has it and who does not
• Ten minutes: same-ability grouping, partner work, reteach, practice, or enrichment
• Five minutes: whole-class pull-back, Q&A, vocabulary review, or clarification
• Final minutes: ticket to leave, do-able homework, and closure

That is a very different lesson from 25 minutes of direct instruction followed by practice that has to fit into whatever time is left.

n the chunked lesson, the teacher is still covering the same core instruction. The difference is that the class is not trapped in one mode for too long.

• And the students who need acceleration? They accelerate.
• The students who need reteaching? They get reteaching.
• The students who need practice? They practice.
• The students who need enrichment? They are not sitting there waiting for the rest of the class to catch up.

This is not watered-down instruction. This is better use of instructional time.

What’s the Benefit of Chunking Lesson Plans™?

Here is what this might look like in real life.

Before Chunking the Lesson: the long direct-teach lesson

• Five minutes: warm-up.
• Twenty-five minutes: teacher explains the concept, gives examples, repeats examples, asks questions, tries to pull students into discussion, notices confusion, explains again.
• Ten minutes: limited time for practice.
• Three minutes: assign homework.
• Two minutes: closure, if there is time.

What is often the result?

Some students are bored. Some students are still confused. Practice is too short. The teacher does not have enough information to group students well. Homework may go home before students are ready to do it independently.

After Chunking the Lesson:

• Five minutes: warm-up.
• Ten minutes: focused core teach.
• Five minutes: quick check for understanding.
• Ten minutes: targeted practice, partner work, reteach group, or enrichment group.
• Five minutes: pull class back together for review, vocabulary, or clarification.
• Three minutes: ticket to leave.
• Two minutes: do-able homework and closure.

What is often the result?

The teacher gets formative assessment data sooner. Students move into practice sooner. The students who need more support get it. The students who are ready to move on are not held back. The teacher is not trying to solve every learning issue through whole-class explanation.

That’s the difference.

Start With Two Days per Week

Teachers don’t have to overhaul every lesson immediately.

In fact, I recommend starting with this structure just two days a week. Consecutive days are best. Avoid a Friday and Monday scenario because too much time falls between the initial instruction and the group instruction.

Once teachers see how much more efficiently the class runs, they can build from there.

For block scheduling, the same idea applies. A longer block can be treated as two shorter chunks. The first 40 minutes might function like “day one,” and the second 40 minutes might function like “day two.” Teachers can use a quick formative assessment in the middle to determine who needs reteaching, practice, or enrichment.

The key is to keep the lesson moving in purposeful chunks.

Keep chunks under 12 minutes whenever possible.

Plan Once for Access, Not Endless Reteaching

Teachers are exhausted.

They don’t need one more complicated initiative. They don’t need to write three separate lesson plans for one classroom or spend hours creating materials that still don’t meet students where they are.

They need structures that work.

Chunking Lesson Plans™ gives teachers that structure.

That’s not watered-down instruction. Rather, it’s instruction with purpose.

And when we plan this way, we spend less time catching students up later.

Instead, we plan once for access.

Video: How to Make Lesson Planning Faster

Source note: Adapted from Susan Gingras Fitzell, Special Needs in the General Classroom: 500+ Teaching Strategies for Differentiating Instruction, especially the sections on Chunking Lesson Plans™

FAQ

What is Chunking Lesson Plans™?

Chunking Lesson Plans™ is a lesson structure that breaks instruction into smaller, purposeful sections. Instead of spending most of the class on whole-group direct teaching, the teacher delivers a focused core teach, checks understanding, and then uses the remaining time for practice, grouping, reteaching, enrichment, and closure.

How does chunking make lesson planning faster?

Chunking makes lesson planning faster because it gives teachers a clear structure for how to use class time. Instead of planning one long direct-teach lesson and then trying to fit in practice afterward, teachers plan a short core teach followed by targeted next steps based on student understanding. This reduces overexplaining and makes differentiated instruction more manageable.

Why is a 10-minute core teach effective?

A 10-minute core teach is effective because it keeps instruction focused on the essential concept students need to learn that day. It gives students enough information to begin learning without overwhelming them, and it preserves time for practice, formative assessment, reteaching, and enrichment.

Want more practical support for teachers?

I offer professional development for schools on co-teaching, collaboration, learning strategies, and supporting students who learn differently.

Education Programs & Workshops
Co-Teaching Training / Consulting
Free educator download
Substack sign-up

If you are here because you care about supporting teachers, you may also like:

Co-Teaching Support for Schools
Practical Learning Strategies for Struggling Students
Paraprofessionals and Teachers Working Together – Unlocking the Power of Collaboration for Student Success

The post How to Make Lesson Planning Faster Without Watering Down Instruction appeared first on Susan Fitzell.

School administrators often ask me what co-teaching should look like. It is a fair question. Assessing a collaborative classroom is especially challenging for administrators who are new to the concept of co-teaching.

Too often, schools use what I call the dumped-in method of co-teaching. Teachers are simply dumped into it without support or training. The result is predictable. You walk into a classroom and see one teacher teaching while the other teacher stands in the background waiting for permission to work with students. Some specialists feel like they are just holding up the wall. 

That is not co-teaching.

Administrators need to view co-taught classes as classes taught by two essential teachers working as one team.

To help school leaders observe and support these teams, I have developed the 2026 Walkthrough Form. It provides a non-evaluative snapshot of classroom practice for administrators. It moves beyond vague theories and focuses on the practical realities of the classroom.

Here is exactly what you should look for when you walk into a co-taught class.

Specific Implementations

Observers should look for clearly defined roles. General approaches are no longer enough. I have detailed two dozen specific co-teaching implementations. Look for targeted strategies like Two Facilitate Speed Partnering or One Teach and One Summarize. There should be absolutely no doubt as to what each person is doing during a lesson.

Shared Ownership and Parity

Both adults must actively contribute to instruction and student engagement. They do not have to look identical to demonstrate parity. They also do not both need to be content experts. You should see them share ownership of the class through their actions, language, or leadership. Both names should be displayed, and the physical space must be shared. Furthermore, both adults should interact with a range of students, not just one subgroup.

Chunking Lesson Plans

Look at the clock. Teachers should transition smoothly between short chunks of instruction. Ideally, these chunks are ten minutes or less. The most effective time managers use timers to stay on track. This maximizes student engagement and keeps both teachers actively involved. 

Stop Guessing, Start Teaching:
Introducing the Co-Teaching Lesson Plan Builder

Student Access and Differentiation

Are students engaged and clear on what they are expected to do? Teachers need to provide multiple ways to learn content. This might look like visual interpretations, graphic organizers, or technology like backchanneling. Students must also have choices in how they demonstrate their learning. Furthermore, teachers should be using formative assessments, like exit cards or Oral K-W-L activities, to guide immediate instruction.

Data and Flexible Grouping

Notice how the students are grouped. Students should work in intentional mixed-ability groups for practice. They might also work in targeted same-ability groups for review and enrichment. You should also see teachers collecting objective data on student behavior and understanding to guide future instruction.

Effective co-teaching is a partnership. It requires communication, persistence, and mutual agreement. This new walkthrough form gives you the framework to support your teachers in that work. It helps you focus on what matters most.

Access the  2026 Walkthrough Form by clicking here. 

It is imperative that administrators understand what co-teaching is and what it is not. Also, it’s important to coach and mentor your staff in a positive, productive way to achieve the best possible results while making it clear that collaboration is not optional. 

In this age of testing, fear, and reprisal, teachers need to be motivated and taught how to best utilize their time and efforts to help students succeed. Co-teaching, done well, is one of the best ways to make a difference for students. 

I encourage you to download the 2026 Walkthrough Form and take it on your next classroom visit. Look for specific implementations and shared ownership that accelerate learning. Try the form today. Observe your collaborative teams and give your teachers the practical, targeted feedback they need to thrive.

Frequently Asked Questions About Co-Teaching

What does effective co-teaching look like in a classroom?
Effective co-teaching involves two educators actively sharing instruction, planning together, and engaging students through clearly defined roles and strategies.

What are the most common co-teaching mistakes?
The most common mistake is the “one teach, one assist” default, where one teacher leads and the other becomes passive. Lack of planning and unclear roles also limit effectiveness.

How can administrators evaluate co-teaching?
Administrators should use structured observation tools that focus on parity, student engagement, differentiation, and data-driven instruction rather than general impressions.

CLICK HERE to discover a wealth of co-teaching strategies and resources to maximize student success!. Bring Susan to your campus! Featured seminar – Best Practices in Co-teaching and Collaboration: the HOW of Implementing the Models

The post What Should a Co-Taught Class Look Like? Introducing the 2026 Walkthrough Form appeared first on Susan Fitzell.

Introducing a new resource for co-teachers and school leaders: the Co-Teaching Lesson Plan Builder! Designed for inclusive education and collaborative planning, it supports special educators and general education teachers with clear implementation strategies aligned to best practices in co-teaching.

To Co-Teachers and School Administrators:

Co-teachers understand that the collaborative potential is enormous, but the logistical reality is often stressful. Finding the time to plan together, determining who does what, and ensuring true parity, especially when the special education teacher may not be comfortable with the content, can be a huge barrier to success. Many educators are still unsure how to effectively realize the huge potential of having two licensed professionals in one classroom.

The goal of effective co-teaching is to move beyond mere presence in the classroom to create a dynamic, engaging, and highly effective learning environment that fosters rigorous learning in an inclusive setting.

We understand the complexity involved, which is why we created the Co-Teaching Lesson Plan Builder, a new tool designed to transform your collaborative planning sessions from chaotic catch-ups into strategic, outcomes-driven blueprints.

The Problem: When Co-Teaching Fails to Reach its Potential

Historically, co-teaching models, even the popular ones like One Teach, One Assist, have often led to the specialist or special educator adopting a subordinate role as an assistant. This happens particularly when clearly defined examples of how to implement the models are missing. Teachers struggle to use more than one or two approaches consistently.

For administrators, this common pitfall means you are investing in a co-teaching initiative without maximizing the talents and professional skills of the adults involved, an outcome that risks the entire program’s success.

The Solution: Planning Beyond the Basics

The Co-Teaching Lesson Plan Builder is built on the foundation of maximizing teacher strengths and ensuring parity through highly specific, ready-to-implement scenarios. Drawing heavily on dozens of detailed strategies outlined in leading best practices, this tool focuses on The HOW of Co-Teaching, providing explicit titles and clear roles for every adult in the room.

How the Builder Works for Co-Teachers:

• Eliminate Role Confusion: The Builder helps clarify exactly what each teacher does during the lesson, offering specific titles to minimize any doubt as to roles and responsibilities.
  
• Maximize Diverse Talents: Instead of defaulting to the specialist taking the assistant role, the tool pulls from proven, precise strategies, many of which do not require the specialist to possess strong content knowledge. For instance, it might suggest One Teach—One Summarize, where the co-teacher listens to the core content being delivered and then summarizes the information to enhance student comprehension using different language or perspectives.
  
• Drive Engagement and Rigor: The Builder suggests high-impact implementations designed to foster professional respect and parity. It will recommend powerful techniques like Two Teach and Debate, where both teachers challenge, present opposite viewpoints, or play devil’s advocate to make class discussion more exciting and foster critical thinking. Or, for review, it might suggest Teach Half Then Switch, allowing both educators to focus on smaller groups for targeted instruction on specific skills versus content rigor.
  
• Instant Accessibility: You receive a structured lesson plan outline that delineates who leads which segment of instruction, allowing you to bypass hours of painstaking co-planning and utilize your limited face-to-face time for adjustments and individualized supports.

Benefits for School Leaders: Intentional Implementation and Staff Maximization

When implemented correctly, co-teaching works, but it requires administrators to commit to correct implementation and support teachers in the process. This tool provides the necessary structure.

• Fidelity to Best Practices: This tool ensures that your co-teaching teams are making intentional choices about which implementation to use, rather than “punting” or relying on the common, but often ineffective, One Teach, One Assist model. The ability to vary approaches based on lesson goals, student needs, and teacher comfort level is essential for successful, well-scheduled co-teaching.
  
• Effective Use of Certified Staff: By providing a clear framework for specific implementations, such as those that require only minimal content expertise from the specialist, administrators can be confident that two certified teachers are fully utilizing their professional talents to support rigorous learning and student growth, rather than having one teacher acting as a “glorified paraprofessional”.
  
• Support for Collaboration and Parity: The Builder provides a common, structured language for planning, to enhance communication and foster mutual respect and parity between team members.

Stop losing valuable planning time struggling to coordinate roles and map out complex activities. Give your teachers the clarity they need to achieve high standards and show growth across all learners.

Ready to maximize your co-teaching potential and save crucial planning time? Discover how the Co-Teaching Lesson Plan Builder supports inclusive classrooms, special educators, and co-teaching teams with step-by-step planning tools.

Frequently Asked Questions About Co-Teaching Planning

Q1: What is the primary purpose of effective co-teaching?

Effective co-teaching is defined as two or more certified teachers working together to provide instruction, typically in a heterogeneous inclusive setting. Its main purpose is to create a dynamic, engaging, and highly effective learning environment that promotes rigorous learning in an inclusive setting. When co-teaching is implemented correctly, it works significantly better than other teaching models to accelerate the achievement of all students,.

Q2: Why is the traditional “One Teach, One Assist” model often ineffective or discouraged?

While the “One Teach, One Assist” approach requires minimal co-planning, it is considered the least effective co-teaching approach and is often discouraged,. This model frequently results in the specialist or special education teacher adopting a subordinate role as an assistant. Consequently, students may consider one teacher the “real” teacher and the other teacher as the teacher’s aide. Furthermore, the supporting teacher often becomes distracted from the core lesson, dealing with student behavior or helping students who are off-track.

Q3: Does a co-teacher need to be a content area expert to successfully co-teach?

No, a co-teacher does not always require strong content expertise to be effective. Many high-impact co-teaching implementations, such as One Teach—One Summarize or Two Teach and Debate, are specifically designed so that the specialist does not need strong content knowledge,. For instance, in One Teach—One Summarize, the co-teacher only requires the ability to think and be a good listener to summarize the content.

Q4: How do specific co-teaching implementations differ from general co-teaching models?

Co-teaching models have evolved and, without clearly defined examples, educators often struggle to use more than one or two approaches consistently. The focus shifts to defining precise implementations, often called “The HOW of Co-Teaching,” which provide highly specific titles and scenarios to eliminate any doubt about each teacher’s role during the lesson. This shift helps fully utilize the talents of all adults and foster professional respect.

Q5: How important is dedicated planning time for a successful co-teaching partnership?

Dedicated co-planning time is essential and should be considered sacred. If co-teachers do not carve out time to plan together, their instructional effectiveness is minimized. Without this time, it is difficult to implement a successful co-taught classroom that incorporates state standards. Teachers need time to determine appropriate accommodations and adaptations. That said, The How of Co-teaching Lesson Plan Builder saves hours of co-planning time. The dedicated time you have can be as efficient as both of you coming together and deciding what strategies in the generated lesson plan you’ll use or not use. Have the discussion and move forward from there. It’s a huge time saver.

CLICK HERE to discover a wealth of co-teaching strategies and resources to maximize student success!. Bring Susan to your campus! Featured seminar – Best Practices in Co-teaching and Collaboration: the HOW of Implementing the Models

The post Why Co-Teaching Often Falls Short, and How to Fix It appeared first on Susan Fitzell.

Introduction: 

Teaching fractions to third graders can be a dynamic and engaging experience when co-teaching strategies are thoughtfully implemented. Co-teaching offers a powerful way to reach diverse learners by leveraging the strengths of two educators working collaboratively. This lesson plan integrates two highly effective co-teaching approaches—One Teach, One Summarize and Teach Half Then Switch—Skills & Rigor—to ensure that all students develop a strong foundational understanding of fractions. These strategies not only enhance student engagement but also allow for differentiated instruction that meets the needs of learners at varying levels of readiness.

In the One Teach, One Summarize approach, one teacher delivers the primary instruction while the other teacher listens actively, takes notes, and then summarizes key points to reinforce learning. This method strengthens student comprehension by allowing them to hear the information twice, in two distinct ways. Teach Half Then Switch—Skills & Rigor divides the class into two groups, with each teacher delivering instruction focused on a specific skill or concept. After a set time, students switch groups, ensuring that they receive well-rounded instruction in multiple formats. This approach allows students to interact with both teachers and engage in different types of learning experiences.

By incorporating these co-teaching strategies, we create a lesson that is not only structured and effective but also fosters collaboration, active engagement, and a deeper understanding of fractions. This lesson is designed to support educators in making fractions meaningful and accessible for all students, while also strengthening the partnership between co-teachers. Whether you are a general education teacher or a special educator, this lesson plan offers practical strategies to enhance student learning and create a supportive, interactive classroom environment.

Lesson Plan: Teaching Fractions in a 3rd-Grade Classroom

Lesson Title: Understanding Fractions Through Co-Teaching Strategies

Grade Level: 3rd Grade

Standards:

• CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.3.NF.A.1: Understand a fraction 1/b as one part of a whole divided into b equal parts.
• CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.3.NF.A.3: Explain equivalence of fractions and compare fractions by reasoning about their size.

Learning Objectives:

• Students will understand the concept of fractions as parts of a whole.
• Students will identify and represent fractions using models and number lines.
• Students will compare simple fractions and recognize equivalent fractions.

Co-Teaching Strategies:

1. One Teach, One Summarize
2. Teach Half Then Switch—Skills & Rigor

Lesson Sequence:

Warm-Up (10 Minutes) – One Teach, One Summarize

• Teacher A presents a short introduction to fractions using visuals (e.g., pizza slices, fraction bars).
• Teacher B listens and takes notes to summarize key points.
• Teacher B then provides a concise summary of what was just taught and checks for understanding through student responses.
• Quick question prompts:
  • “What is a fraction?”
  • “Can someone describe 1/4 using an example?”
  • “Why do we need fractions in real life?”

Direct Instruction (15 Minutes) – Teach Half Then Switch

• Class is split into two groups.
• Teacher A teaches one half of the students using visual fraction models.
• Teacher B teaches the other half using number lines.
• After 10 minutes, students switch teachers and learn the other method.
• Mini-checks for understanding: Students solve a simple problem related to each method.

Guided Practice (15 Minutes) – Teach Half Then Switch

• Teacher A leads a hands-on fraction activity with half of the students using fraction circles.
• Teacher B guides the other half in a comparison activity using fraction strips.
• After 7-8 minutes, students switch groups and complete the alternate activity.

Independent Practice (10 Minutes) – One Teach, One Summarize

• Teacher A provides students with practice problems to reinforce learning.
• Teacher B walks around to check for understanding and takes notes.
• At the end, Teacher B summarizes the main takeaways and provides quick review questions.

Closure (5 Minutes)

• Review key concepts as a class using a fraction quiz game.
• Ask students to reflect on their learning: “What was easy? What was challenging?”
• Assign a simple take-home activity: Draw a picture representing a fraction and write a sentence about it.

Assessment:

• Informal assessment through teacher observations and questioning.
• Exit ticket: Write one thing you learned about fractions today.
• Review independent practice work to check understanding.

Materials Needed:

• Fraction circles, bars, and strips
• Whiteboards and markers
• Chart paper for visual modeling
• Printed fraction number lines
• Small dry-erase boards for quick checks

Differentiation Strategies:

• Provide extra support with manipulatives for students struggling with fraction concepts.
• Offer challenge problems for advanced students (e.g., introducing mixed numbers).
• Use visual aids and interactive activities to engage all learning styles.

This lesson effectively uses co-teaching strategies to maximize student engagement and comprehension of fractions. By implementing these collaborative techniques, educators can create an inclusive and supportive learning environment where every student has the opportunity to succeed. With thoughtful planning and execution, co-teachers can build a classroom that not only strengthens mathematical understanding but also fosters a spirit of teamwork and shared responsibility for learning.

CLICK HERE to discover a wealth of co-teaching strategies and resources to maximize student success!. Bring Susan to your campus! Featured seminar – Best Practices in Co-teaching and Collaboration: the HOW of Implementing the Models

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Lessons from the Assembly Line

After high school, I worked in a factory to put myself through college. The assembly line had production quotas, dictating how many “pieces” we had to produce per hour. One of the first things I learned was to look busy. As a young college student, my energy level was high, and I often finished the work quickly. After finishing, I would socialize with my friends who were also working to pay their way through college. The seasoned workers quickly told us that finishing early and chatting looked bad. They explained that we would be assigned higher quotas if we didn’t look busy when the foreman came by. At least that’s better than Amazon’s AI algorithms. Amazon employees get fired! While we could meet our quotas quickly, those who had been working for decades couldn’t keep up the same pace. If we looked like we had time to waste, it concerned management.

The Principal’s Dilemma

A couple of years ago, I was sitting next to a principal who had just been told by his superintendent to let go of three teachers. He was upset and struggling with the decision. He asked if I had observed a certain co-teaching pair. I had. He asked if I saw the special education teacher sitting in the back, focusing on one or two students while the general education teacher delivered the lesson. I had seen exactly that. He then asked, “How can I justify keeping that teacher when I can replace her with a paraprofessional who could do the same job?” Every time he walked by that classroom, the special-education teacher was sitting in the same spot, working with the same few students. This teacher had resisted all coaching to change her practice and be more involved. If he had to choose, why not choose that one?

The Need for True Co-Teaching

Unfortunately, this reality exists in more than one district. I’ve heard this story multiple times. In a time of budget cuts, principals must make difficult staffing decisions. It becomes even more crucial that special education teachers in co-taught classrooms truly co-teach.

Data Collection as a Co-Teaching Strategy

We know there are times when a general education teacher is direct teaching. What can the other teacher do besides position control, redirecting students, or quietly answering questions when this happens?

In this data-driven age of education, a valuable co-teaching strategy is to collect data while the other teacher delivers core instruction. This isn’t only the role of the special education teacher. Depending on who is teaching, both teachers should collect data. A great extension is for the general education teacher to collect data while the special education teacher is leading the class.

Practical Steps for Data Collection

While one teacher is direct teaching, the other can be in the background with a clipboard, pen, and chart to note student behavior. The data collector might observe:

• Are students engaged, sleeping, or off task? Looking out the window or texting?
• Which students came to class prepared?
• Which students struggle with note-taking and need extra support?
• Are specific students attentive, asking questions, looking confused but not asking, or sleeping?

Note these observations on the chart.

Using Data to Improve Instruction

After the lesson, the data collector—whether the general education or special education teacher—shares the results with their co-teacher. With this objective data (ensure it’s objective; don’t write that your colleague is boring the students to sleep), co-teachers can enhance their next lesson plan to address any issues. This data can also be used in IEP meetings, 504 meetings, RTI planning meetings, or other settings where student data is useful.

Responding to Observations

When an administrator, school board member, or parent walks through the room and sees one teacher teaching while the other stands with a clipboard and pen, both teachers can confidently answer, “We are collecting data. In this classroom, we plan data-driven instruction.”

CLICK HERE to discover a wealth of co-teaching strategies and resources to maximize student success!. Bring Susan to your campus! Featured seminar – Best Practices in Co-teaching and Collaboration: the HOW of Implementing the Models

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1. Introduce each other’s roles in the classroom as equal but different. For example, the general education teacher can be the content area specialist, while the special education teacher is the learning strategies specialist. Some co-teaching teams prefer not to distinguish roles and introduce themselves as “the teachers” of the class.
   
2. Understand personality styles. This knowledge can improve your life and enhance all your collaborative relationships. Co-teaching is like an arranged marriage; how you handle your colleague’s personality can make or break the relationship.
   
3. Plan daily lessons, activities, tests, assignments, and more together.
   
4. Ensure the entire team, including the teacher, co-teacher, paraprofessional, parents, and students, works together as much as possible.
   
5. Collaborate to implement adaptations, modifications, and accommodations the IEP requires without reducing content.
   
6. Work together to develop a discipline policy and determine your roles when discipline is necessary.
   
7. The teacher and co-teacher should work with all students individually and in groups.
   
8. Teach and re-teach specific learning skills to students who need them. Reinforce alternative learning techniques.
   
9. Prep time is minimal and precious, and it may not be the same for both co-teachers. To maximize planning time, share as much information beforehand as possible in the cloud (Google Classroom, Dropbox, collaboration apps) or email.
   
10. Partner with colleges and universities to have student teachers present activities, provide demonstrations, review with games, and help with test prep. This frees up time for co-teachers to plan. Due to liability issues, teachers must be in the room, but it’s a viable option when planning time is scarce.
    
11. Collaborate on accommodations and adaptations using email and Google or Microsoft Word’s “Insert Comments” and “Track Changes” features.
    
12. Be flexible, focus on each co-teacher’s strengths, adopt a “They are ALL my students” attitude, and consider the impact of personality, gender, and cultural differences on your relationship with your co-teacher.

CLICK HERE to discover a wealth of co-teaching strategies and resources to maximize student success!. Bring Susan to your campus! Featured seminar – Best Practices in Co-teaching and Collaboration: the HOW of Implementing the Models

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The Power of Collaboration

Back in 2003, I was coaching co-teachers at a high school in a tough part of town. I walked into a classroom with just a list of room numbers and teacher names. I didn’t know who the special education teacher was or who the English teacher was. The administration had warned me that the students in this class were very apathetic.

Engaged Students and Lively Discussion

When I entered the room, I saw two teachers leading a lively discussion about a piece of literature. I couldn’t tell who was who because they were both engaged in the discussion. All the students were involved, passionately debating the author’s intent, motivation, characterization, and purpose. The teachers took opposing views, and students shared their perspectives energetically. This was far from apathy—it was amazing.

Building a Collaborative Environment

At the end of the day, during our debriefing session, I asked, “How did you get to the point where you could work so well together and engage students in such an energetic debate?” They replied, “We’ve worked at it.” They explained that at the beginning of the school year, they couldn’t even pair students for a think-pair-share activity because there were four gangs represented in the classroom. Putting two gang members from opposing gangs together led to a fistfight. They quickly realized they couldn’t sit certain students together.

Modeling Respectful Debate

The teachers couldn’t involve students in critical discussions until the students learned that disagreement didn’t mean disrespect. Their solution was to model respectful debate all semester. They demonstrated that you could disagree without fighting. By the time I observed them in January, they had created an inspiring classroom environment where students learned valuable life lessons alongside academic content.

The Benefits of Co-Teaching

Reflecting on our debriefing session, I realized that co-teaching is a powerful model for students to learn respectful collaboration and debate. My colleagues Kathy and Peter taught social studies together and used role-playing to illustrate different sides of a political issue. They staged a debate, pulling students into the discussion, making it personal but not disrespectful. They successfully engaged their class in thoughtful discussion, using emotion and energy to draw students in. Modeling disagreement and debate is a powerful benefit of effective co-teaching.

Real-Life Example of Effective Co-Teaching

Kathy and Peter set the stage: Kathy stood on one side of the door and Peter on the other. As students entered the classroom, they walked between the two teachers, who were debating a political issue. The teachers continued the debate as the students sat down and then pulled the students into the discussion. They maintained intensity and passion without being disrespectful, engaging the class in a thoughtful and energetic discussion.

By using co-teaching to model respectful debate and collaboration, teachers can create a dynamic learning environment that goes beyond academic lessons to teach valuable life skills.

If you liked this article, you may also find the following articles interesting:

Long-term Coaching – The Unique, Hidden Benefits

Co-teaching Models: Making time for Co-teaching, Planning a Path to Success

Co-teaching Model – Teach Half, Then Switch — Pre-Teach or Enrich

Co-teaching Model, Teach Half, Then Switch—Reading in the Content Area

CLICK HERE to discover a wealth of co-teaching strategies and resources to maximize student success!. Bring Susan to your campus! Featured seminar – Best Practices in Co-teaching and Collaboration: the HOW of Implementing the Models

The post Co-Teaching: An Opportunity to Teach by Example appeared first on Susan Fitzell.

It happened again…

…and it only took until March!

Reflecting on my 20 plus years of coaching co-teaching teams, I’ve recognized a pivotal trend: the trans-formative power of ongoing, long-term, collaborative coaching for co-teaching pairs. 

Today was another reminder. I was working with an elementary school. I spent the day observing co-teaching pairs and debriefing with them afterwards. It’s March, and I saw the best co-teaching today that I’ve seen since September. Co-teaching implementation almost always shifts from the  One Teach, One Assist model to more effective implementations by March when co-teaching teams have ongoing coaching.

Schools often approach me to deliver comprehensive presentations on co-teaching, usually lasting a day or two. These training sessions are packed with content, strategies, and collaborative insights. Following these, I’m typically asked to engage directly with co-teaching pairs and provide them with personalized coaching. Initial requests usually involve having me observe a class and then offering a single coaching session, post-presentation, aiming to reach as many teachers as possible. 

One visit is rarely enough

However, I’ve consistently observed that this one-off coaching approach rarely leads to tangible, lasting improvements. It’s akin to those one-day workshops that offer no subsequent support – both are insufficient for fostering genuine change.

Schools often end up disappointed, witnessing their educators struggling to fully adopt and implement co-teaching implementations. They mistakenly conclude that co-teaching and coaching are ineffective. They don’t realizing that the real issue lies in the lack of continuous support.

In my early years as a consultant, I would accommodate a school’s request to have me observe and coach different teams every time I arrived in their district. I was so disheartened when, at the end of a year of coaching, I realized that the majority of the teams I worked with had made no progress. However, when there are teams, in those same school districts, whom I coached every time I visited, I saw growth. Often, this happened because those co-teaching teams demanded that they see me every time. They told their administrators that if they were going to co-teach they expected me to be there to support them. Because of these outspoken teachers, I have seen the difference ongoing, long-term coaching makes in comparison to one-off coaching.

A new approach to promote success

Several years ago, I began informing schools that I wouldn’t coach teams “only once” over the course of the school year. I explained my reasons, sharing that it didn’t feel right to accept their money knowing that the approach they requested would fail to result in the change they sought. This decision might have cost me some coaching jobs, but I could not, in good conscience, do something I knew wouldn’t deliver the results the schools wanted. I prioritize delivering real value to my clients, supporting teachers, and ensuring all students, especially those struggling, receive the support they need. 

From my perspective, the key to success in co-teaching lies in sustained, ongoing coaching and support, particularly when schools select co-teaching pairs who are both willing and in need of guidance. 

Focus on those who are willing

Instead of focusing on the most resistant pairs, targeting the more receptive teams for regular coaching – ideally monthly or at least every six weeks throughout the academic year – can lead to significant progress. It’s a process, and sometimes it’s not until March that we start to see the fruits of our labor. It takes that long for co-teaching pairs to truly embrace a range of strategies, improve their collaboration, and begin to deliver more effective instruction to support student growth.

This journey has reinforced my belief in the critical importance of ongoing, embedded coaching. It’s about more than just a single touchpoint; it’s about building a foundation of trust, continual learning, and adaptation. Schools should prioritize depth over breadth to ensure that each co-teaching pair receives the focused, consistent support they need to evolve and succeed. 

This commitment can transform the educational experience, foster a collaborative environment where teachers grow together, enhance their effectiveness and, ultimately, enrich the learning experiences of their students.

Bring Susan to your campus!

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