Coteaching Part I

Name: Laura Van De Walle

Date: March 8, 2015
How does this project contribute to your understanding of coteaching?
Although we had gone over the definitions of coteaching during class, this project
allowed for me to gain hands on experience with the different types of coteaching. I was also
able to evaluate which methods I thought would work best for the classroom that I am in
currently. Not only does the project benefit me currently, but also long-term because I will be
able to distinguish the types of coteaching I would like to implement in my classroom in the
future if I work alongside another teacher.
This project also helped me to be more analytical of the classroom I am placed in
currently. After discussing the resources and barriers in particular, I have a better understanding
of what my role is in my classroom and how I can best help my teacher and the students.
Although the roles are not always clearly defined, I will be able to identify what role I need to
play in order to help create a successful learning environment for the students and a positive
collaboration with my mentor teacher.
On my honor, as an Aggie, I have neither given nor received unauthorized aid on this
academic work.
Signature____________________________________

Entry:
Coteaching in the classroom with my mentor teacher has made me more aware of the
numerous resources and barriers that accompany the process. For example, Mrs. Godfrey is one
of my biggest resources because she has extensive knowledge in the subject area since she has
been teaching English and Language Arts for years. Not only is she well versed in the content,
but she is for the most part up to date with how to best manage her classroom utilizing current
strategies I have been learning about. Being able to witness these methods being put into place
has allowed for me to grow tremendously as a future educator. However, there are a couple
barriers with any coteaching process that have to be acknowledged to create a better learning
environment. One of the barriers that I face with Mrs. Godfrey is the limited amount of time that
I get to communicate with her throughout the day. Luckily we get to spend lunch together in her
room, but besides that she is stretched thin at the school with everything that she is involved in. I
can often feel like a burden because I know that her time is limited and I do not want to add any
unnecessary work for her to have to complete.
Communication:
I have an open line of communication with my mentor teacher. If she needs me to do
something immediately, she will tell me and I will begin working on it. However, if there is a
task Mrs. Godfrey needs help with that is not as pressing, she will write me a note and leave it on
my desk with explicit instructions on what she would like for me to do. In addition, Mrs.
Godfrey will tell me that she put something on my desk and that she needs me to help with
sometime during the day. Not only do we talk openly in the classroom throughout the day, but
Mrs. Godfrey and I communicate via email and texting. When I first contacted Mrs. Godfrey to
introduce myself and ask questions regarding the first day I would be in her classroom, we
communicated through emails. When I met her in person, she gave me her cell phone number

and told me that it would be easier for me to contact her that way. We maintain positive
communication built on trust and respect for each other. I really appreciate the way that Mrs.
Godfrey makes me feel valued and does not try to baby me because I am not a teacher yet.
When I notice a particular procedure or method that Mrs. Godfrey is utilizing in her
classroom, I almost always ask questions relating to why it is important and how she decided that
is what she wanted to implement in her classroom. I make sure that when I ask questions, I do so
in a way that makes it evident that I am coming from a place of wanting to learn more instead of
being critical of why she does what she does. I do not have anything to be critical of because
Mrs. Godfrey implements almost all of the research-based strategies that we have been learning
about in her classroom. In addition, I ask her about her experiences with the students to learn
how I can best help them as well. For example, if a student is struggling in a particular area, I ask
Mrs. Godfrey what tends to work best for that student to help them be successful so that if I need
to work with the student one-on-one, I will be prepared with the certain method. I also ask Mrs.
Godfrey multiple questions that have various answers. For instance, one of the aspects of
working with students that I struggle with is the balance between being the authority figure and
being able to relate to the students in a way that shows that you truly care about their success. I
have asked Mrs. Godfrey how she has such a successful relationship with the students because
they all respect her and feel like they can confide in her about what is going on in their lives.
Although there is not a textbook answer to this question, Mrs. Godfrey tells me a lot of stories
about how she was able to get this type of relationship with the students and practical aspects I
could implement with my students to build this relationship.
Some resources that allow Mrs. Godfrey and I to communicate so effectively is the use of
technology and explicit instruction. We have utilized technology through email and texting to

communicate when we are not physically with each other. This is beneficial because when I am
with Mrs. Godfrey, we usually run out of time to discuss everything that we need to or things
tend to be forgotten. Through the use of technology, we are able to maintain an open line of
communication that serves as a safe guard in case I need to get in contact with her or vice versa.
Another resource is Mrs. Godfreys use of explicit instruction when she explains what she would
like for me to do. Instead of me having a lot of questions about what Mrs. Godfrey wants or how
she wants it done, she makes sure to clearly state her expectations. I really appreciate her clear
instruction because it enables me to help her in a way that I do not feel like a burden since I do
not know what to do.
Types of coteaching:
The first type of coteaching is the teach/observe method. This particular method is
typically found in the initial stage of collaboration in coteaching. One person teaches while the
other observes and takes notes regarding what should stay the same in addition to marking any
changes that should be considered. The teach/observe approach has multiple advantages such as
establishing rules and procedures based on specific classroom needs, identifying an appropriate
classroom arrangement as well as seating arrangement, and distinguishing what type of help each
students needs to be successful. However, only using one teacher for instruction in a classroom
when there is a potential to utilize two teachers is one of the disadvantages associated with the
teach/observe approach. Time and instruction are limited resources in the classroom, and
teachers have to be active to give the students the best opportunity to learn.
Another form of coteaching is the teach/support approach. Although this is helpful during
the initial stages of coteaching, it also provides insight so that the teachers understand the best
way to teach a particular student. The teach/support method includes one of the teachers

providing instruction while the other teacher directs their attention to the students who need
additional help in a certain area. An advantage of this approach is that the students are less likely
to demonstrate undesired behavior because there are two teachers actively involved in the
learning process. A disadvantage is that the teacher who is playing the role of the supporter may
over step their boundaries and do something that makes the other teacher uncomfortable. For
instance, if the support teacher began implementing discipline that was not discussed and agreed
on previously with the other teacher, it could cause potential problems. Not only would it create
issues with the teacher, but it would also prove to be an inconsistency in discipline with the
students.
Station teaching is another approach utilized in coteaching. This method separates the
teachers into different stations where the students are divided into groups and rotate to the
different teachers for specialized instruction. Since the class is divided between the teachers,
they get to have more individualized instruction due to the smaller teacher to student ratio.
Although being able to teach in smaller groups is an advantage, teachers have to be aware of the
timing of their lessons so that they can work together to finish their lessons around the same
time. In addition, this type of coteaching allows for instructional variety as well as keeping the
students stimulated because they are actively involved in the lesson. A couple of potential
problems with station teaching are the distractions that come along with moving around the room
without explicit procedures, being aware which students need to be placed in which particular
group, and keeping the noise level down.
Parallel teaching consists of the two teachers providing the same instruction to two
different groups in the classroom. The teachers work together to plan the instruction beforehand,
and both of them must be at the same level of proficiency with the content. This type of

coteaching method cannot be utilized when introducing novel material to the students, but is
beneficial for practicing learned skills, working on projects, and reviewing for tests. Parallel
teaching enables teachers to separate students into groups based on how they learn best as well as
creating a smaller student to teacher ratio which allows students to become more confident and
ask more questions during group time. If the teachers are not consistent during this type of
teaching, they could face various issues such as utilizing different strategies that could be
confusing to the students, noise level, timing, and the main teacher may not know if students are
having issues learning in the other group.
During alternative teaching, students who need to focus more time on a particular topic
work with one of the teachers while the rest of the class is led in a general activity by the other
teacher. Not only does alternative teaching provide students with individualized instruction, but it
also makes it easier for the teacher to modify the lesson according to the students needs. A
disadvantage that needs to be considered is that it requires a long time to get each student to have
individualized lessons, in addition to trying to time the lesson so that the small group finishes
around the same time of the large group. When the teacher pulls students out of the large group
to work with them, they lose valuable teaching time. Lastly, teachers need to be discrete about
working with the students individually so that the students do not feel embarrassed of different
from the other students in the classroom.
The last form of coteaching is called team teaching. Team teaching includes both teachers
giving instruction and logistically has various forms of how this could look in the classroom.
One teacher may speak while the other models or both teachers may demonstrate concepts with
each other. Regardless of how this method looks, the teachers need to be highly flexible when
delivering a lesson to accommodate to the students needs to create a successful learning

environment. In addition, team teaching requires a high level of trust and commitment between
the teachers as well as being able to read each other and the students during the lesson. Because
this form of coteaching is dependent on trust and aspects between the teachers that have been
accumulated over time, this type of instruction is typically not utilized in the initial stages of
coteaching. An advantage of utilizing this form of coteaching is that the teachers use each other
as resources regarding content and understanding of a particular topic. However, trying to adapt
to each others teaching styles can prove to be difficult allowing students to get confused. Lastly,
there is no research suggesting that the methods are helpful and effective for learning.
Types of coteaching with mentor:
After discussing this project with my mentor teacher Mrs. Godfrey, we decided to utilize
the teach/support approach. This method includes one teacher giving the class instruction while
the other teacher provides support to students who may be struggling to understand a particular
concept. Although we could have used a different method, Mrs. Godfrey was insistent that I take
the reins on the instruction while she would go around the room helping students who needed
clarification or she would address any behavioral issues. I preferred this kind of coteaching
because I am typically the support in Mrs. Godfreys classroom while she teaches a lesson, so I
know how the process works and what to expect to a certain extent.
A resource for this type of coteaching is Mrs. Godfrey, because she is able to provide
oversight to help the student who I may not realize are struggling as well as insight regarding
what worked well about the lesson and what I should consider changing. In addition, students are
more likely to be engaged in the lesson if Mrs. Godfrey and I are both playing an active role in
the classroom. Some potential barriers could be that since Mrs. Godfrey is used to teaching and
taking the lead in the classroom, she may find it difficult to let me lead. This could be an issue if

she over steps her boundaries as the designated support, because it would hinder me from
learning how to play the role of the main teacher. Another barrier could be our differences in
classroom management regarding students behavior. I have wanted to implement methods such
as the turn and track or SLANT but Mrs. Godfrey already has alternative methods in place,
so I have to work with what she has set for her classroom. This can limit me in the way that I
address the classroom as a whole.

Coteaching Part II
Name: Laura Van De Walle
Date: March 23, 2015
How does this project contribute to your understanding of collaboration with teachers through
coteaching?
Although we have already learned about the different types of coteaching, this project
enhanced my understanding of the importance of having clear and defined roles to minimize
confusion and increase the amount of time utilized to teach the students. When the roles are
undefined, it can lead to tension between the two teachers. This does not necessarily mean that
the roles cannot be flexible, but the teachers should have a basic understanding with each other
to know what is acceptable and what is not. The clearer the roles are, the easier it is for the
teachers to take control and be empresses of their roles.
Another aspect that I found beneficial to know about the coteaching process as a whole is
how much behind the scenes work that goes into the lesson. Both teachers are always doing
something; even in the teach/support role where one teacher is expected to do the majority of the
work, the other teacher is constantly either getting the materials ready or monitoring. The
partnership between the teachers allows for both of them to be actively participating in the
classroom regardless of what role they are portraying for that particular day.
On my honor, as an Aggie, I have neither given nor received unauthorized aid on this
academic work.
Signature____________________________________

Learning Plan
Intern Name: Laura Van De Walle
Mentor Teacher Name: LaNette Godfrey
th
Subject/Grade: 4 Grade English and Language Arts
Date Taught: March 26, 2015
Type of Coteaching: Teach/Support
Lesson Plans
Modifications:
Coteaching:
Description of
Type used;
Students
roles
Objective:
J: The student is
T: States the
Given an expository excerpt, the students can revise
reading on a 2nd
objective
sentences by adding the five splash techniques to make
grade reading
their writing more descriptive.
level, and has
I: Monitor the
major issues with
classroom
organization. J
tends to zone out
T&I: Both
during class and
agree on
lets others do the
objective
group work for
him.
TEKS:
J: N.A
T & I: Both
(18) Writing/Expository and Procedural Texts. Students write
decide what
expository and procedural or work-related texts to
TEKS will be
communicate ideas and information to specific audiences for
utilized
specific purposes. Students are expected to: (A) create brief
compositions that: (ii) include supporting sentences with
simple facts, details, and explanations;
Background Information:
J: The student has T: Have
The students have learned the different types of writing
been given a
taught
styles (persuasive, expository, fiction, etc.) and know how to graphic organizer
background
correctly identify each. In addition, the students know the
that shows the
information
structure of and how to create a basic expository paper. The
structure of an
students have already been introduced to splashes and
expository story to I: Helped
know how to use them with a personal narrative.
use as a reference. with
In addition, the
examples in
student is given a
the past
question before
class begins that
he will answer
sometime during
the lesson to help
him stay on task.
Materials:
J: N/A
T: Explain
Splash spinner, numbered spinner, example expository story,
the materials
pencils, expository graphic organizer reference, foldable of
when they are
the different kind of splashes, objective/WIIFM paper,
utilized
throughout

the class
period

Equipment:
SMART board

Classroom Management/Environment:
The students are expected to remain quietly seated in their
selected groups during instruction. If the student has a
question, they are expected to raise their hand and wait to be
called on, unless the classroom is asked to respond using the
thumbs up and thumbs down hand signal technique. The
students are expected to work respectfully together in groups
and distribute the workload evenly.
Engagement/Focus:
Good morning ladies and gentlemen! I want to tell you about
this crazy idea that I had yesterday. I had just gotten home
from work and wanted to relax, so I decided I was going to
watch a movie. I popped a bag of popcorn, put my slippers
on, and curled up on the couch to see what was on the
television. I began watching a movie, but soon I had that
feeling where my eyelids started to get really heavy and it
didnt seem like I was going to be able to stay awake much
longer. Then I had this brilliant thought: What if I could
change the movie to make it more interesting?! Instead of
having to watch the scenes that I thought were boring, it
would be so cool if I could make them interesting by adding
exciting information. Do you ever wish that you had the
ability to make something that was boring into something
exciting and interesting?! Today we are going to use our
superhero powers to take our writing to the next level by
adding the splashes that we have discussed previously to
our writing. Not only will using splashes be helpful in
making us into better writers, but it will also be helpful when
you are taking the STAAR test next week. I expect you to sit
quietly in your groups while I give instruction, and raise your
hand if you have any questions. Lets get started!
Explanation/Procedures:

J: N/A

J: Place the
student in a group
where he will be
expected to
participate in
group work (i.e.
with students who
will not do all of
the work for him).

I: Pass out the

materials
during class
T: Does the
work on the
SMART
board
I: Monitors
the classroom
T: Gives a
reminder of
the classroom
expectations
T & I: Both
enforce the
classroom
expectations
T: Gives the
introduction
to the lesson
and greeting
I: Gets the
materials
ready for the
procedures
such as the
spinners and
papers to pass
out

T: Teach the

1. Lets take a moment to do a quick review! (Take out the

splash foldable that the students made for writing an
expository story. Here is the foldable that we made together,
and I want to go over the different kind of splashes. First,
who can tell me what a splash is? (Splashing is a way to
develop an idea or step within an expository paper. It shows
that a student understands what he/she is explaining. This is
what takes expository writing from knowledge/recall to
application/synthesis). Yes, thats correct!
a) Now, there are five different kinds of splashes that we
utilize to make our writing more interesting.
1. Who can tell me what the first one is? (How
something is done). (After each splash is
answered, reveal the splash in the foldable to
give students a visual of the right answer).
2. What is the second splash? (Why something
is done). (Show the answer on the foldable).
3. Okay lets see if you can get this one. What is
the third splash? (Caution: a word of warning
about doing something). Lets check!
Everybody open your foldables and see if
they answered correctly.
4. And what does the fact splash mean? (Fact: a
fact about something that must be realistic).
Not lets check our foldable to see if they are
correct! Thumbs up if you think that is the
correct answer.
5. Last, but definitely not least, what does
example mean? (Example: a mini-story about
when someone else does something). Okay
everybody flip open the example flap on your
foldable and check. Did they answer
correctly? Show me a thumbs up if you think
so.
- Now there is something that we have
to remember when using the example
splash. We do not want to make the
splash more than one or two
sentences. Why do you think this is?
(allow students to answer/guess). We
do not want the story to change into a
personal narrative because we are
talking too much about the example.
In addition, earlier in the year we
discussed shifting, and how we need
to stay away from shifting the focus

lesson, do the
think-aloud,
provide
examples,
model what
the group
activity looks
like; walk
around and
help students
with group
activity when
needed
J: Ask the student
the second
question (this is
the question he is
given before
class).

I: Walk
around and
help students
with group
activity, pass
our any
materials
needed for
that specific
part of the
lesson.

in our writing. By only writing one or

two sentences for the example splash,
we stay on topic.
b) I am so impressed by how much you all remember
from last class. You all did such a great job raising
your hand when I asked the question and responding
in complete sentences. Now lets apply what we have
gone over to an example expository paper.
2. (Put up an excerpt on the SMART board from an
expository paper that an anonymous student wrote for the
STAAR last year that needs some splashes: scored a 2 which
is limited). Here is a story that a former student wrote on
their Show What You Know test (STAARR) last year.
Since the test is next week, Mrs. Godfrey and I wanted to use
a passage that is similar to what you will be doing on your
test, so you can see how to apply this knowledge about using
splashes to your own writing.
I want you to listen carefully while I read it out loud, and
then we are going to discuss it afterward. Follow along on
your own paper. (read excerpt). There are a lot of aspects that
go into writing a paper such as spelling and grammar, but
today we are specifically going to be focusing on adding
details to show that we have a deep understanding of what
we are writing about. Lets just talk about what this student
was trying to convey to the audience. The topic is about the
different seasons and which one is a persons favorite.
a) What stand out to you from this excerpt? (Not
enough information; lists things but does not go into
detail to have better explanation; no support).
3. Lets see how we can use what we know about splashes to
spice up this paper! I am going to do the first couple, and
then we will try to work on it as a class. As I make changes
to my paper, I want you to follow along and make the
corrections on your own paper.
a) The first sentence says One thing I like about March
is that my birthday is March 29, 2003. This sentence
follows the topic and is a good introduction to what
the student will be talking about for part of the paper,
so we do not need to do anything to change this.
Sometimes splashes are not always needed in a
sentence such as in this case when all the information
was present.
b) The second sentence states I just turned 10 Friday
for my birthday we went to ATLANTIA, Georgia it
was fun. Now when I read this, I notice that the
student is on topic and has a good point to make.

J: For the section

where we go over
the writing
together, have J sit
with a buddy that
can explain what a
word means if he
does not
understand.

However, there are no details to support what they are

trying to say, so Im not sure if they fully understand
the topic. We have talked about avoiding saying
something is fun without adding more description
to it. This shows me that I am going to have to add
some splash to make this sentence more clear and
exciting! Remember that we can use any of the five
splashes when revising our writing, but some may be
a better fit depending on the sentence. For this part of
the story, I am going to use the fact splash.
This means that I need to add a fact about the
city. I know that Atlanta, Georgia is one of the
largest cities in the United States, so I can
apply this knowledge to my writing to show
that I have a better understanding of Atalanta.
Adding this description is much better than
saying that something is fun. Now I will
add the splash to my sentence.
- For my birthday, we went to Atlanta,
Georgia. It was fun because Atlanta,
Georgia is one of the biggest cities in
the United States, so there is always
something to do.
Which sentence has more information in it?
(this one). It is important to add the splash
because it makes the story more interesting
and helps your audience to understand what
you are talking about better. Im going to do
one more sentence, and then we will work on
it together as a class, so be sure to pay
attention to how I set up the splashes.
c) The next sentence states, We went to a harks vs.
magic game it was cool. Now lets say that I am
reading this paper and I have never been to Atlanta
and I have also never heard about the hawks and
magic. Am I going to be able to fully understand
what the student is talking about? All I know about
the game is that it was cool, which we have talked
about never using words like cool and fun to describe
something. We have better words that we can use in
place of these words. Somebody give me some quick
examples. (allow students to answer; amazing,
wonderful, fantastic, phenomenal). These are all
much better words to put in place instead of fun and
cool. So, I know that I will have to add a splash to
spice this sentence up.

In this case, I am going to use the why splash.

I want to tell the readers why the game was
cool. Make sure to be changing your sentence
on your paper as I change mine.
- We went to a Hawks vs. Magic
game, and I was excited because I
have never seen such a huge stadium
filled with so many people.
Now even if I had never heard of who the
haws and magic are, I would be able to
assume that it was some kind of game that a
lot of people want to watch. It helps me to
better understand why the student thought that
the game was cool. This is important because
it helps show that we have a good
understanding and it makes our writing better
as a whole.
d) Do you have any questions before we begin adding
splashes together? (allow students to answer).
OUR TURN:
1. Now we are going to try a couple sentences together.
I want to see everybody looking up at the board and
thinking about where the splash will go while
somebody reads the next sentence. Some of the
sentences may need splashes, and some may not. I
expect everybody to write the corrections on their
paper. Remember, we have to use our superpowers to
make sure that we put the splashed in to the correct
place to help save the day by putting the splashes
where they belong.
a) Elaina, please read the sentence.
We went to the aquarium it was fun to.
Elaina, you did a nice job speaking clearly
and loud enough for the whole class to hear.
b) Okay, now give me a show of hands who thinks that
the sentence needs a splash. (students raise hands).
Somebody tell me why. (because it used the phrase it
was fun again, and did not go into detail about the
aquarium). What splash do you think we could add in
this part? (allow students to use any of the five
splashes discussed). Keep in mind that there is more
than one answer. Why did you pick that splash? (have
students give an example of what they would write if
they used that splash). Then I fix my paper using their
splash.
c) Lets go over the next sentence together to make sure

that we have the hang of things before moving on to

the game. JaModrick, please read the next sentence.
When I come home my dad got me new
shoe.
d) Raise your hand if you think that this sentence needs
a splash. (students raise hands). Okay, now somebody
give me an example of what kind of splash we would
use, and why. (have students answer). I know that we
love talking about our shoes in this class, because you
guys tell me all of the time about your new Jordans
or where you got your shoes from, so I want to hear
some pretty good splashes for this sentence. (After
student gives splash, write it on the paper).
YOUR TURN:
1. Now that we have become masters at using splashes
in expository papers to make our writing better, you
are going to put this method into practice.
a) We are going to continue using this paper, and you
are going to work in a group at your table. Each
group will get two spinners; one will be numbered 09 and one will have the different kind of splashes on
it. You spin the one with numbers on it first, and
whichever number you land on is the sentence that
you need to look at to see if you can add a splash. If
you spin and land on the number 0, you get to choose
which sentence you want to fix. If you happen to spin
the same number again, you can pick a different
splash to add to the sentence. If your sentence does
not need a splash, spin the spinner again. However, if
the sentence does need a splash, spin the spinner with
the splashes on it to see what splash you are supposed
to use.
Lets do a review of how the game works to
make sure that everybody is on the same
page. Somebody tell me what the 0-9 spinner
is for? (picking the sentence). What is the
other spinner for? (picking the splash). What
happens if you land on 0? (you get to pick
whichever sentence you want to add a splash
to).
b) Make sure to take turns when spinning, so that
everybody will get a chance. Since everybody is
going to get to spin, we are not going to fight over the
spinners. I expect you to take care of the spinners,
which means laying them flat on the table and
spinning them softly when it is your turn. We have to

J: Place the
student in a group
where he will be
expected to
participate in
group work (i.e.
with students who
will not do all of
the work for him).

reuse these for the next classes and I do not want

them to break. Also, make sure to be respectful of
what each person in the group has to say. I will be
walking around and can help if your group gets stuck
on a hard sentence. Please raise your hand if you
need me to help. Lets get started!
Extension/Elaboration:
Extension: Once the students show proficient understanding
of splashed, independently the students will write their own
expository story and add in splashes that specifically have to
deal with facts. They are allowed to research whichever topic
they find the most interest in that has to be school
appropriate. They can do this activity on a blank sheet of
paper.
Elaboration: For the students who need additional practice, I
will give them examples and non-examples of sentences with
splashes in them, and they have to decide what they think it
is as well as which splash was used if any. We will use our
foldables that we created from last class together.
Closure:
Lets do a quick review before we leave. Without splashes,
our writing is not very descriptive and can come off as
unclear to the readers. Somebody tell me what the five
splashes are. (fact, caution, example, how, why). How do
you know when you need to add a splash to a sentence?
(when the sentence is not clear and could be spiced up). You
all did such a good job listening to the sentences to figure out
where the splashes should go, and paying attention to the
lesson. Remember to be like superheroes when you are
working in groups so that you can use your superpowers to
put the splashed where they belong. Tomorrow, we are going
use hearts to make a review of all the important information
we have learned about writing papers. Have a nice day!
Assessment:
The students can revise sentences in an expository paper by
adding the five splash techniques.

J: Give him a list

of topics that he
can use since he
has issues with
getting organized.

T: Goes over
the
elaboration
with students
who are still
struggling
and monitors
the
classroom.

J: Give him a copy I: Monitors

of the assignment the extension
on his reading
process.
level.
T: Goes over
the
review/closur
e with the
students.
I: Picks up
the materials
to reuse for
the next class
such as the
spinners.

T & I: Both
J: Make sure paper agree on the
is on his reading
assessment
level.
I: Grades the
assessment

1. Co-development of the Lesson:

When planning the lesson, my mentor teacher Mrs. Godfrey wanted to give me full reign.
She gave me the topic that she wanted me to cover along with resources to help me create a
lesson plan and activity based on what she wanted me to teach. I really appreciated this because
if there are too many restrictions, it can be difficult to come up with a lesson plan that is pleasing
to my mentor teacher that would be able to work with the students. However, Mrs. Godfrey had
full trust in me which enabled me to become more independent in the process of writing learning
plans. Mrs. Godfrey insisted that we utilize the teach/support system, which is where one of the
teachers is in charge of giving the students the lesson while the other helps around the classroom
and provides materials for the lesson. I was grateful that she was so willing to allow me to teach
her students valuable information that they would be using on the STAAR test in a couple of
days. I did not have my observation until the last class that I was teaching my lesson in, so Mrs.
Godfrey made sure to tell me after each class what went well and what I could work on for next
time. Even though this put a little bit more pressure on me, I am thankful to have a mentor
teacher that believes in my ability to teach and gives me guidance throughout the process.
2. Instructional Management Strategies:
In order to keep the students actively engaged in the lesson, I utilized precorrection by
reminding the students what I expect of them before we moved on to the next part of the lesson.
In addition, I made sure that the students always had something to do. Even while I was in the
my turn phase of the lesson, I gave the students the same paper I was working on so that they
could have a visual and make the changes that I was making on their own paper. Instead of
having to watch me talk up at the board, they were able to continue to participate in the lesson. I
also asked multiple questions and for the students input during the our turn phase of the lesson,

so that the students would feel valued and appreciated. My class had no trouble wanting to share
how they changed the sentences, and I even had to move on without calling on some people for
times sake, but I made sure to call on them for another question. Lastly, the students loved the
group activity and were so excited to put what they had just learned into a game that was
interesting and engaging. I was mainly in charge of the instructional management because I was
giving all of the instruction during the lesson, however, Mrs. Godfrey made sure that the students
stayed on task by monitoring with me.
3. Classroom Management Strategies:
Mrs. Godfrey and I discussed that the students should remain seated at all times
throughout the lesson to decrease the possibility for an off-task behavior. The expectations for
the students were clearly defined in the learning plan, and enforced by both Mrs. Godfrey and
me. If I was teaching and saw a student not paying attention or acting out, I would utilize
proximal control which enabled the student to get back on task. In addition, Mrs. Godfrey was
handing out Sul Ross Bucks for students who were actively engaged in the lesson. By giving
the students rewards for participating, it dramatically decreased the likelihood of students
misbehaving because they had an incentive to stay on task. There are a couple students that try to
read during class, or even throw their pencils. Instead of drawing too much attention to this sort
of behavior, I made sure to calmly walk over while I was teaching and take the book or the
distracting object and place it on Mrs. Godfreys desk. The classroom management style that we
utilized was proactive in trying to decrease any unwanted behavior before it was allowed to
begin. Mrs. Godfrey implemented the expected behaviors by passing out the tickets.

4. Student Assessment:
The assessment for the lesson is a bit different than the traditional assessment. The
students were allowed to work together in their table groups and finish working on the paper that
we were adding splashes to during class. Mrs. Godfrey and I monitored each table to ensure that
they understood how to implement splashes in each sentence, as well as making sure the groups
were distributing the work evenly so that everybody was actively participating. We assessed the
students by monitoring, but also at the end of the period, Mrs. Godfrey collected all of the
students work. Since the lesson that I taught was a review of what the students had already
learned with a new activity introduced, Mrs. Godfrey did not think that the students needed the
traditional assessment in terms of having a quiz but rather wanted to see the students put the
principle into action by utilizing splashes to revise writing. Both Mrs. Godfrey and I were
responsible for implementing the assessment, because we both walked around the classroom and
monitored the students.

Coteaching Part III

Name: Laura Van De Walle
Date: April 6, 2015
How does this project contribute to your understanding of how coteaching works in real life
settings?
Before this project, I assumed that coteaching would be an easier method of teaching
because there are two teachers. I assumed that this meant that the work is distributed evenly
instead of having to do it all yourself. However, I have quickly learned that having two teachers
can be more difficult than beneficial as far as creating a successful learning environment for the
students. Coteaching is a great asset when utilized the correctly, which is difficult when trying to
to find a balance of what should and what should not be done between the teachers.
I believe that the most important aspect of coteaching is ensuring that both teachers feel
valued and appreciated. This means that the teachers have to work together to put aside any huge
differences and communicate effectively.

On my honor, as an Aggie, I have neither given nor received unauthorized

aid on this academic work.
Signature____________________________________

Although I had every intention of following the script that I had written out for my
learning plan, I soon realized that teaching the lesson would go much differently. There are
certain aspects that I cannot prepare for in the script, such as student behavior during the lesson.
My mentor teacher has tried to prepare me for the behavioral aspect and always says, You have
to roll with the punches.
I was conscious about when I passed out the materials because I did not want the students
to be playing with them while I was trying to give instruction. I made sure to put this into
practice before I handed out the spinners used for the game so that the students actively listened
when I told them how to play the game. However, I did not wait to pass out the example
expository excerpt that I had typed out so we could work on in class together before I tried
showing the students the original copy of the excerpt on the board. Mrs. Godfrey wanted me to
show an old response to an expository prompt on the STAAR test as a reminder of what they
should and should not do on their test. The writing on the excerpt was all scrunched together, and
the story took up less than half of the page (this is why I had to retype the excerpt so the students
could read it). I did not think that the students would be distracted by the paper that I typed out,
but the students acted like it was a present waiting to be opened on Christmas morning and kept
trying to take a peek at it, write on it, or even read it while I was trying to show them the
original. I learned that even if the materials being passed out may not seem as fun to play with as
spinners, the students will more than likely find a way to play with it instead of listening to the
lesson.
During the my turn portion of the lesson, the students were enthusiastic and wanted to
be involved by calling out answers and waving their hands in the air so that they could be called
on. Even though I told the students beforehand that I was going to complete the first question by

myself, they did not seem to care and wanted to be involved. Granted, I enjoyed their enthusiasm
and was glad that they were involved as opposed to involved. However, it became difficult to get
anything finished. I had to stop the my turn segment of the lesson and remind the students that
they will have a turn so they should be listening and thinking to get ready for when they fix the
sentences. After the lesson I discussed the issue with my mentor teacher, and she explained that
her students are used to still being involved in the my turn part of the lesson. In addition, I was
doing a review lesson, so the students already knew all of the information and it was difficult for
them to watch me do a think aloud without trying to say something. In the future, I would
collaborate more with my coteaching partner so that we would be able to have similar formats of
teaching so that our students will not get confused causing them to act up.
Although coteaching can be beneficial when utilized correctly, there are some downsides
to this method of teaching. In the scenario discussed previously where the students kept
interrupting in the my turn segment of my lesson, the result of having two different teachers
can result in increased behavioral problems. However, when my mentor teacher is teaching, she
does not consider the students blurting out during her part to be a behavioral issue, unlike me.
This concept brings me to another issue with coteaching, which includes that with two different
teachers and teaching styles, there will be different opinions on how to manage the classroom.
Having different opinions can be good when both teachers are equally heard and agreeing on
what to implement in the classroom because one teacher may offer more insight in a certain area
than the other could. However, if the teachers cannot agree on certain rules to manage a
classroom and both use their own methods in the class, the students will never get a chance to
behave correctly because they will be confused about what is expected of them. Even though
Mrs. Godfrey and I agree on how to manage her classroom, we were having difficulty in

communicating how she typically organizes her lessons so that I could use roughly the same
model.
This coteaching process has taught me above all that communication is key. When I
become a special education teacher, I will more than likely have paraprofessionals in my
classroom that are crucial to supporting me and my students. Even though they may not be
certified as teachers and the roles will be different than coteaching, I can utilize this information I
have learned and apply it to how I can work best with my paraprofessionals. For example, I want
to ensure that the paraprofessionals and I are united in the standards and expectations that we
uphold in the classroom. I know that we will more than likely have some disagreements, but this
process has enabled me to work through differences in order to satisfy the overall need of the
students.