How
to Find a CTT Match: Questions To Ask A Potential Collaborative
Team Teaching Partner Sarah
Picard
Collaborative Team Teaching classrooms serve together students with
identified special education service plans and general education
students. A general education teacher and a special education teacher
work in the classroom together as equal partners, planning
lessons and developing a classroom culture that celebrates each
child's unique talents. Sharing a classroom with a colleague can
be difficult if both teachers don't initially spend time to talk
about their teaching philosophy, classroom values, teaching strengths
and areas for improvement. Before I decided to work with my colleague,
Sandra, she and I got together to talk about these things. It helped
both of us to physically design a classroom and then build a curriculum
that we both felt matched our strengths.
What follows is a list of possible questions teachers should discuss
before they become partners in a collaborative team teaching classroom.
Your answers to all questions do not have to match, but it is important
that you spend the time talking it out before you begin teaching
together.
Classroom Questions
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How would you classify your classroom management
style?
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What do you expect from your students academically?
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What do you expect from your students behaviorally?
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How do you celebrate student successes?
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How do you support students who do not meet your
expectations?
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How do you handle classroom interruptions?
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What does your classroom look like? Why did you
design it in that way?
Communication Style Questions
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When do you like to do your planning?
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When would you like to talk about our planning
together? (i.e. lunch, prep., before school, or after school)
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What do you do when you are frustrated?
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How can I reach you outside of school?
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Is it okay to call at home? What time is off
limits?
Please feel free to
e-mail with any additional questions!
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