October 2016

Co-teaching, a service delivery option in schools implementing inclusive practices, means two or more licensed professionals sharing planning, instruction, and assessment for a group of students (Murawski, 2003; Murawski & Spencer, 2011). Interested in resources and opportunities to support co-teaching? The VDOE Excellence in Co-Teaching Initiative is a good place to start your exploration.

Get READY to be inspired and energized by scheduling a visit to a co-teaching demonstration site. The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) has identified 37 co-teaching demonstration sites through the Excellence in Co-Teaching Initiative. These sites provide opportunities for co-teaching partners throughout the state to observe inclusive practices in action. The co-teaching teams at the demonstration sites share their co-planning, co-instructing, and co-assessing practices that support successful outcomes for all students. The 10 sites in Region 4 are:

   * Culpeper - Culpeper MS (Pre-Algebra, 8)
   * Culpeper - Emerald Hill ES (Math, grade 2)
   * Fauquier - Liberty HS (AFDA)
   * Fauquier - M. M. Pierce ES (Kindergarten)
   * Frederick - Orchard View ES (Math, grade 4)
   * Loudoun - Discovery ES (All subjects, grade 2)
   * Loudoun - Discovery ES (ELL/LA/Math, grade 3)
   * Loudoun - Harmony MS (English 7)
   * Loudoun - Simpson MS (English 8)
   * Manassas City - Mayfield Intermediate (Math 6)

To arrange a visit to one of these sites, please contact Dr. Lynn Wiley, Director, VDOE TTAC at GMU at hwiley@gmu.edu or 703.993.4496.

Set collaborative instruction in motion by utilizing the resources of "Real Co-Teachers of Virginia". In conjunction with VDOE's Excellence in Co-Teaching Initiative, this series of webshops showcases the products created by real co-teachers of Virginia, select teams of middle and high school teachers participating in this initiative. In their videos, these co-teachers model not only co-instructing in the classroom, but co-assessing and co-planning as well. Lesson plans, adapted for co-teaching, and other materials, are also included. Go to:

» Real Co-Teachers of Virginia

For additional resources and tools to support co-teaching, GO to:

» VDOE Superintendent's Memo #258-16: Co-teaching Demonstration Sites

» Your TTAC lending library, for books and DVDs, including:

* Power of Two DVD, 3rd edition (2015) - this new edition, with updated examples, was filmed in Virginia public schools (including two demonstration site teams)
* Co-Teach!, Building and Sustaining Effective Classroom Partnerships in Inclusive Schools (2nd ed., 2014) by Dr. Marilyn Friend

» Co-Teaching, A How-To Guide: Guidelines for Co-Teaching in Texas

» Stetson Associates shares a variety of resources related to collaborative teaching and inclusive practices.

» Two Teachers in the Room l Middle Web - a regular blog about co-teaching from the site MiddleWeb which focuses on teaching and learning in grades 4-8.

» Co-Teaching: A Workbook for Achieving a Perfect Union

- The purpose of this interactive workbook, created by Loudoun County Public Schools, is to provide a concise, practical tool to assist teachers in beginning or continuing their journey toward best co-teaching practices.
» Co-Teaching: Making It Work, Educational Leadership, December 2015 / January 2016 / Volume 73, Number 4

References:

Murawski, W.W. (2003). Co-Teaching in the Inclusive Classroom: Making Sure All Students Find Success. Bellevue, WA: Bureau of Education and Research

Murawski, W.W. & Spencer, S. (2011). Collaborate, Communicate, & Differentiate! How to Increase Student Learning in Today's Diverse Schools. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.

This news brief is a collaborative effort of the Virginia Department of Education Training and Technical Assistance Centers at George Mason University and James Madison University. This issue was prepared by the staff of the VDOE TTAC at George Mason University. For questions about content, please contact Judy Stockton at jstockt1@gmu.edu or call 703-993-4496.