Updated August 2010

ISBs Co-Teaching Vision Co-teaching will offer a range of students increased access to the curriculum. Its model is inclusive, and collaborative. It is an ongoing professional development opportunity for teachers. Co-teaching can work in different combinations of practitioners. Presently ISB defines parings consisting of a classroom teacher with a learning support teacher. We acknowledge and appreciate that each teacher brings an area of strength to the relationship and consider this a highly effective pairing for this type of collaboration. Co-teaching with a generalist and a specialist teacher is a restructuring of teaching that: is highly differentiated for the range of learners is innovative in design and allows for greater flexibility in meeting student needs provides teacher to student ratio that is double to that of a traditional model teaches the regular curriculum at the same pace as other sections of the course promotes the idea that two heads are better than one and this level of collaboration leads to improved student and teacher learning encourages more flexible grouping that can specifically target learning styles, multiple intelligences, interest, or readiness ensures that education of all students is as inclusive as possible models team work -allows teachers to learn from each other so that lifelong learning is modeled for students diminishes stigma for students with special needs provides additional opportunities for students who are highly-able through flexible, collaborative grouping, and an additional teacher support within the context of the grade level curriculum. provides specific remediation within the context of the curriculum does not exclude the use of some pull out individual and/or small group work according to student need for set periods of time and with specific goals At ISB the co-teaching model was designed targets students who require a moderate level of learning support although many other students, and teachers benefit. ES- There will be one co-taught class per grade level for language arts and mathematics (based on the needs of students) MS and HS- Subject allocations for co-taught classes will be reviewed annually. Decisions are made based on the present population of students and their needs.

Components and supports: In order for co-teaching to work the following factors must be in place: staff development teacher commitment to the co-teaching relationship and theory in terms of collaboration, equal sharing of responsibility for the whole class, and ongoing evaluation of the process regular planning time that is used effectively administrative support and commitment ongoing dialogue/ assessment/ adjustment of the model