Co-teaching is not new, but the pandemic has forced many of us to iterate the model to prepare future teachers, especially as it has stretched their technological know-how and comfort level, as many now teach kids who are in class and on screens.

Over the last few months, Tonja and I have been fine-tuning many elements of the co-teaching model to more effectively support her as a student-teacher during this unprecedented time. Using a framework developed by the University of Nebraska Omaha’s College of Education, here’s how we’ve adapted seven co-teaching strategies for these trying times.

  1. One Teach, One Observe In this model, the student-teacher and cooperating teacher decide who is going to teach and who is going to observe. This model can be used when data needs to be collected for a specific reason, or when specific feedback on an aspect of instruction is sought.
  2. One Teach, One Assist In this model, the student-teacher and cooperating teacher decide who will lead instruction while the other teacher assists managing the class. This model is especially handy in situations where certain behaviors necessitate a quick response.
  3. Station Teaching In this model, the student-teacher and cooperating teacher set up instructional stations that they guide students through. Students who are not at a station could be doing independent work, or reviewing skills in a small group.
  4. Parallel Teaching In this model, the class is split in half, and the student-teacher and cooperating teacher simultaneously teach the same material to their groups.
  5. Supplemental Teaching In this model, the student-teacher and cooperating teacher decide what will be taught to a smaller group of students lead by one of the teachers, while the other leads the larger group of students in a separate activity.

Read the full article about co-teaching by Tom Whisinnand at EdSurge.