Team teaching

nqtfarmer

Hi all,
I am starting this year in a new school once again but although my hours are in my own name I am doing quite a lot of team teaching.
I have never taught this way and would love to hear people's experiences of it as well as strategies used?
Also, the obvious question, do students still respect you? Is it an adequate use of resources?
Thanks

judeboy101

Does the other teacher have the same class on her/his timetable ? Usually "team teaching" is one teacher is the "teacher on the system" and the other teacher has got hours so they come into your class. From what I know of the eportal system, it doesn't allow two teachers to have one class for simple reasons like which one is to blame if one teacher marks a kid as absent but the other marks as present.

nqtfarmer

I am the teacher on the system as far as I know. But will be team teaching with others.

judeboy101

Thought so. It's happened to me a few times, basically unless the other teacher is on for all the periods with same class group you are better treating them as an extra pair eyes/hands etc. If they are down for all periods then either swap days /weeks /topics where one leads the lesson and one backs up.

evolving_doors

From my experience it's all about personality and collegiality.

1. Who has responsibility for the class? Exam results... Parent teacher meeting.
2. Is there time allowed for planning? ( there never is!)
3. Will pupils wind up seeing you as a 'teaching assistant' and a lesser teacher compared to the main teacher.
4. Are pupils going to be told what's going on, or do ye just both stumble into first class and the other teacher takes over as normal while you stare out the window.
5. Is there an evaluation period afterward, or does it just end and that was that.
6. Some teachers really resent another person in the room and will resent the fact that they've been lumped with you... Others will embrace the opportunity.

If it's the other teacher has the responsibility then it depends how much they want to work and plan with you. You may find your self doing nothing for a whole class or just 'taking out the bold student's'...then at the other end, if it works, you may find a teacher that wants to share and bounce ideas off you and ask what you thought of the last class.

It's a thing that the dept. Recommend over removing SEN students from class for 1-to-1 classes. But they don't allow for planning!

Basically if you've just been told you are doing it, without any planning or information as to what is expected (and you aren't on the timetable!). Then it's just a way of 'making up the hours'.

While you have a chance before it starts try and link up with the cooperating teacher and figure out what way it's going to run... Maybe you take the class every other day and ye switch, while the other teacher Mills about and helps students during the practice part of the class.

Good luck with it.

nqtfarmer

School is stuck for space and pulling students out for 1-1 was the traditional method but now team teaching is what is done.
We're team teaching for most periods so I imagine it will be topic by topic basis. School is expanding so hopefully in years to come I will be back to one teacher, one class.
I suppose I am quite worried about the viability of the post in the long run as I turned down a traditional teaching role in a school further away for it

trihead

Could be class numbers are over the recommended number too so using team teaching to avoid Union issues.

See it as a good thing - you will learn a lot from each other so when you are back on your own you will be a better teacher.