My Project

KYCTEPS 2016-2017

Two Teachers, One Journey

Bobbie Jo Vice

In my elementary school, we meet weekly in PLCs with a focus on improving student achievement.  As primary teachers, we typically take information from this collaboration to use within our own homerooms or RTI groups, but what if we shared further shared the responsibility of this information for the benefit of the whole grade level?  What if we made the decision to move toward working together in our classrooms as well?  I’m not talking about our daily teacher conversation.  I’m thinking along the lines of immersion into your colleagues classroom.  Imagine the impact two teachers could have on our students’ success and our professional growth. Dr. Shelle VanEtten de Sanchez tells a powerful story of the benefits of collaboration. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmQVNE-MbKI

  

Co-teaching with a special education/regular education teacher has always been my experience in my primary classroom. This school year brought an opportunity to try a new co-teaching design.  I was assigned a first grade classroom, while my teaching partner was assigned a transition classroom. We met informally and decided the best way to address our students’ needs was through collaboration.  The principal approved our decision, and planning began.  We do not always teach together in a classroom, so we have essentially restructured the term co-teach. Students work with both teachers on a daily basis. They trade groups and times depending upon the needed instructional focus.  We also choose times to teach within the same space.  Our students have the opportunity for flexible grouping on a daily basis.  We began with three transition students who were moved into the first grade group for core study in language and math.  As the year progressed, other students were moved for particular units of study or for short blocks of time in order to best address their academic needs. Students and parents understand the school day is a team effort.

Our daily routine consists of on-going conversations about students’ needs allowing us to fill instructional gaps.  No judgements - just listening to offer an instructional viewpoint based upon our own teaching experience.  Many times, small conversations lead to a boost in student achievement. Our PLC conversations are more focused and we are able to talk about both sets of students as if they were our own homerooms. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pnxst7dkLk

The benefits of knowing in-depth information about both classes allows for growth goals that drive instruction and form new assessment options.  I learn new instructional viewpoints from my partner teacher because she looks at student learning in a different way.  I take our conversations and adjust my own teaching.  We support and push each other forward everyday.  What if all teachers could choose a strength of a partner and use that as professional growth?  To extend this idea, kindergarten and first grade teachers in my school volunteered to co-teach. All K-1 teachers were willing to try at least four co-teaching sessions this school year.  Fortunately, our district also supports collaboration in many forms so we were able to use the collaborative release time to implement the project.  My colleagues chose to begin implementation in a variety of ways.  They observed, pulled small groups, used parallel teaching, and created their own style to best meet their needs.

Co-teaching and collaboration should be the norm in our schools.  My teaching partner and I have already made plans to continue the co-teaching into the next school year.  We plan to expand by moving toward a more focused integration of science and social studies into our groups and by exploring ways to be in the same space more often. One pair of volunteer teachers are considering a similar approach into the next school year as well. Overcoming barriers was sometimes difficult, but the benefits of working with and learning from a colleague far outweigh little bumps in the road.  One teacher from our group sums it up:  “Co-teaching is exchanging our best experiences.”

 

Bobbie Jo Vice

CTEPS

My Story

My Story

Reflecting upon twenty-three years of working in education opens doors to memories long forgotten.  As a high school student, I had confidence in my career choice.  My desire to help others stood above all else.  At first this meant helping others in music, but  when growth and change lead to adjustments.  Soon, I realized elementary education was calling my name.  Education was the best route in which to accomplish my  goal.  In the beginning of my teaching career, I followed set guidelines, followed lesson plans, and followed the norm of my colleagues, some of whom had been teachers I’d respected and didn’t question.  My principal encouraged me with compliments and good reviews. Like many others, change is difficult for me to accept.  After a several administrative changes, as well as changes in staff and district- policies, the urgency of having a stronger teacher voice continuously whispered in my ear.  As a result, I sent an email that changed into several teacher leadership roles within a short period of time.

We have a unique opportunity to take advantage of initiatives that are now encouraged in our district: initiatives that are adjusted as we learn. Collaboration in many facets is going to become the norm.  Why not join this positive time in our district to guide the vision of this new norm?  The purpose of these new options is not to monitor teacher effectiveness, but to provide teacher choice and teach voice. Ultimately, these opportunities will reach all of our students and we will enhance our district team.

I’m excited to learn from my colleagues!  Every time I talk with you or walk by your room, I gain new inspiration.  I’m hopeful we can continue to come together in our thoughts about education and continue to work toward our goal of reaching distinction in our entire district through a common purpose!