Co-Teaching – An approach for enhancing teaching-learning collaboration in physical education teacher education (PETE)

Abstract

The strategy of cooperative teaching (co-teaching or teaching in pairs) contribute to the attainment of several objectives: increasing learning time by facilitating work in several groups at the same time, inclusion through heterogeneous classes, providing alternative teaching approaches adapted to learners by working in stations, providing alternative tasks, increasing personal attention to each pupil, and allowing experienced teachers to mentor young teachers. Preparatory planning is required for two teachers to succeed in working together. This includes a well-defined division of roles and a coordinated approach to co-teaching in practice. Co-teachers must decide about the level of cooperation; which teaching approaches to use; their objectives, hopes and expectations; and the specific areas of responsibility for each teacher. The benefits of co-teaching can be extensive, enabling teachers to address variance between learners and to use the very act of co-teaching as a means of demonstrating tolerance for other opinions and for accepting a variety of approaches and abilities. Coteaching is also a potential aid for teacher education. As part of the effort to promote a partnership between higher education and schools, many teacher education programs have included co-teaching between cooperating teachers and student teachers. The rationale underlying this approach is that co-teaching can encourage reciprocal learning, in which both sides are beneficiaries of the process. Students bring a fresh new spirit of optimism and innovation to teaching, while veteran teachers bring their experience and familiarity with the learners.