Establishing Effective Consultant Teacher Model Relationships

Abstract

This study explored how co-planning, shared workspace, and grade equivalent content knowledge impacted a co-teaching team (one special education teacher and one regular education teacher in the same room) working in the consultant teacher model (a special education teacher working in a classroom containing both regular and special education students). Participants for the study consisted of seven regular education teachers and three consultant (special education) teachers from a suburban, middle class, elementary school consisting of approximately four hundred students K-5. Data for the research study was collected over a period of seven weeks through pre-study questionnaires, journal entries, field notes gathered through peer mentoring sessions, and a post-study questionnaire. According to this study, participants cited opportunities to exchange ideas, organize materials, and define instructional roles as the key impacts of co-planning. Another conclusion of this study was that shared workspace provided increased opportunities for small group and differentiated instruction within consultant teacher model classrooms. In addition, this study identified grade specific content knowledge significantly impacted individual instructional roles. While this study focused on the impact of co-planning, shared workspace, and grade specific content knowledge on a co-teaching relationship, it also identified flexibility, communication, and defined roles as additional elements to consider for future research.