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
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