Co-Teaching has proven to be a great tool for reaching all students.  It allows students with disabilities to be taught in the general education classroom giving them opportunities for social interactions with their typical peers.  It also allows for students without disabilities who may be struggling to receive the support of having two teachers in the room.  These are only two of the many benefits of the inclusion model. But, for the co-teaching model to work in your classroom, the teachers need to be able to work well together.  Good co-teaching requires multiple teachers to be on the same page; for them to co-plan, co-assess, and co-teach. When two co-teachers…

Communicate Like any relationship in life, communication is key to a successful co-teaching relationship. Before the year begins, sit down, and DTR as the kids say. Define the relationship! If you start the year with a discussion about who is going to be responsible for each responsibility, you avoid a lot of problems. Neither of you will feel as though the other is stepping on your toes because they’re doing something you thought was your job. And, neither of you will feel like the other isn’t picking up the slack when they’re not doing something you thought was their job. It will also make the classroom routine go more smoothly.…

I recently took a course on inclusion practices. Although I am a special education teacher who is very familiar with the inclusion setting, I am always looking for new tips, techniques, or practices to bring into my classrooms and to better help my students. History and Introduction Inclusion is the practice of including special education students in the general education setting.  In the past, students with disabilities were often removed from the classroom. They did this to provide them with support and instruction that was focused on their abilities and needs.  But, removing students with disabilities from the classroom can cause them to get even further behind, and it also…