One Plans, One Reacts
Co-Instruction Strategies
Co-Teaching at ECU
Co-Reflection
Co-Reflection is when co-teachers are actively engaged in dialogue around planning, instruction, assessment, students, and the classroom environment.
Co-Reflection is about the why behind all of the decisions being made.
Co-Reflection provides opportunities for CTs to make visible to the intern that which they do automatically throughout the day. Interns are able to ask questions, think about what they are seeing and doing, and consider important aspects of teaching they may not otherwise think about on their own.
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Reflection is not just important for the intern. Reflective practice is vital to successful teaching and learning in the classroom. This video clip reminds us why reflection is a key element in learning to teach and continued growth as a teacher.
Co-Reflection should be done throughout the cycle of co-teaching. There are different levels of co-reflection that will take varying amounts of time; and each level is important in developing reflective practice and building an Intern's capacity to teach.
The Levels of Co-Reflection
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In the Moment
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End of the Day
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Over a Week
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End of a Unit
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End of a Marking Period
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Over the Year
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In the Moment
While co-instructing the CT and Intern(s) might touch base or huddle briefly while students are working or sharing with a partner.
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This gives the co-teachers a chance to get back on track or change directions in the moment, during instruction.
End of the Day
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Taking time each day to talk about how things went is an important part of co-reflection.
Interns can ask specific questions about the decisions a CT made or talk through a lesson that they taught.
CTs can pose questions to get Interns reflecting on their practice.
Over a Week
Co-planning for the next week is a great time to reflect on how this week went or is going. Be as specific as possible in your reflections.
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Talk through where you are headed with instruction for the following week and ideas for how to get there.
End of a Unit
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When administering assessment for a unit co-teachers might set aside time to analyze the assessment tool or activity together.
Talk through patterns you see in the data and specific issues students are having with content or skills.
Determine next steps for teaching based on the analysis of the data.
End of a Marking Period
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As you approach the end of a marking period set aside time to talk with your co-teacher about student progress.
Share concerns about individual students or the group as a whole.
Analyze the assessments used over the course of the marking period for fairness and accuracy.
Over the Year
While this may not be a common level of co-reflection for the Intern, CTs should try to reflect on the year with them at some point during the internship.
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Talk about specifics where possible and consider what worked, what didn't, and what needs to change.
As you begin co-teaching, it might be important to talk about what co-reflection will look and sound like. Make a plan for when you will take time to co-reflect and how you will do so.
The attached document contains Conversation Stems for CTs to use as they co-reflect with their intern. You may want to print this sheet for future use.