One Teach / One Whisper
…is NOT a Co-Teaching Structure!
Can I speak openly? I think that the co-teaching structure One Teach / One Support has gotten a bad rap. Recently a school leader told me she didn’t want her teachers to use it during co-teaching. I think that’s a mistake. It’s a powerful instructional approach, but not when it’s confused with One Teach / One Whisper.
What’s the difference? A lot!
First, a short description:
Let me describe what One Teach / One Whisper looks like so you can recognize it. Then I’ll make a case for the power of One Teach / One Support.
I usually see One Teach / One Whisper in classrooms when the general educator has either a lot of experience and a strong reputation as a masterful teacher (maybe he was recognized as teacher of the year) OR when the general educator is insecure as a teacher — maybe she left industry as a career scientist and is now earning teacher certification through an alternate route to certification. In the first case, the general educator is confident that his current teaching methods are solid and sees no reason to change just because a special educator — and students with special needs — are in his room. In the second case, her fear of failure makes her less willing to risk giving up control of her classroom to the special educator.
The key terms here are “his” and “her” rooms. Whose classroom is it? Doesn’t learning belong to the students? Isn’t it really their classroom? Shouldn’t the approach be selected based on what the students need?
But either way, the special educator is viewed as an outsider, a visitor to someone else’s class. It takes courage to start implementing One Teach / One Support strategies.
I’ve seen a few seasoned special educators take on the challenge, but there’s usually a showdown first. In most cases, special educators cope by circulating the room to whisper to “their” kids.
How’s that working?
Generally, not well!
The whispering usually occurs when the general educator is giving directions or explaining key concepts during that direct instruction part of the lesson. The special educator means well. She wants to be sure that “her” kids are learning.
But think about it…
Those students who may be struggling with the whole class method now have to make a choice. Should I listen to the “real” teacher or listen to the whispering? Besides, it’s embarrassing to be singled out. Other students turn around to see who’s whispering. The whispering often draws attention to the “needy” student and away from the general educator who is teaching. Who benefits here?
Instead, why not use One Teach / One Support?
Teachers in the first year of Joyful Inclusion Schools learn that there are 5 evidence-based strategies they can use that are grounded in brain research. Both co-teachers learn that when each teacher takes the lead for different parts of the lesson, they communicate that both are “real” teachers. When a teacher takes the lead, students’ attention is hard to maintain. So the support teacher has an important role — to re-engage students’ attention on the instruction through asking questions, highlighting key points, and recruiting student participation.
There is much value in One Teach / One Support when creative, collaborative teachers start using that structure during direct instruction.
Don’t throw it out just because it’s mistaken as One Teach / One Whisper.
Teachers in Joyful inclusion Schools know the difference!
