Head of Campus
The Power of Co-Teaching
A short time ago, we were approached by the Stonnington Boroondara Kids Magazine to write an article about co-teaching. We did so featuring our very own Paul and Nanaki, and it seems timely to share why this is such an important aspect of teaching and learning here at Arlington.
This week we are home once again supporting our children to make and retain their connection to school during this Circuit Breaker Lockdown. Many of you might be feeling stretched, or challenged for time. Many of you might be wishing you had a second pair of hands!
Teachers at Arlington have peer support each day, but co-teaching is so much more than just a second pair of hands. As Paul says,
“When you’re team teaching, sharing, getting feedback through care, relationship, support, it’s happy teachers, happy students.”
The co-teaching model ensures that each child’s learning is considered by two professionals who observe, plan, instruct and assess from two unique professional perspectives, and bring these to bear during planning times to create a nuanced and deep understanding of each child’s learning.
As a school offering the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme, Preshil co-teachers have time dedicated to collaborative planning. As Paul shares:
“Every afternoon we discuss the children’s progress, their needs.”
Nanaki adds,
“What I like about co-teaching is that it broadens our professional horizons, we have different perspectives. We bring different values, different expertise, and we collaborate to create a program.”
Our dynamic classrooms are places where teachers work together to model cooperation and negotiation while being able to be responsive to the children in the moment. These features of co-teaching yield enormous benefits for the children. When Madame Suzanne visits each day, the teachers join the children in lessons and are able to model the joy of participation in learning and giving things a go. This reinforces for the children that a school is a community of learners; adults and children alike. As Nanaki says,
“Many times when I’m learning with the children, and sharing my perspective or my understanding, and positioning myself in a way that “oh I actually don’t know what this means”, and getting the children to tell me what they think, it’s very powerful”.
There are crucial benefits for teachers when working in a partnership; the positive impact teamwork and support provide to a teacher’s professional development, and teacher wellbeing. Co-teachers have one another to learn from and debrief with, and when there are moments of joy, there is someone cheering alongside. These benefits are not limited to the teachers, because a supportive classroom environment is one in which the whole community benefits; children and adults alike.
At Preshil, co-teaching will remain a priority.
Cressida Batterham-Wilson
Head of Arlington Campus