Special Educator’s Role within the Co-Taught Classroom

Abstract

Co-teaching is defined as two or more teachers sharing the responsibility for teaching some or all of the students assigned to a classroom. It involves the sharing of responsibility among teachers for planning, instruction, and the evaluation for a classroom of students. I conducted a self-study of my role as a special education co-teacher co-teaching in a 3rd grade classroom. I collected data of my daily experiences: planning with a general education teacher, supporting students’ learning within the general education classroom and correspondence through emails in regard to planning and students’ needs. I have looked at the inclusive classroom through a researcher’s lens, identifying my role as a special education teacher in regard to supporting students with disabilities who need specialized instruction to be included in an environment that is least restrictive.