Team teaching

Jennifer York-Barr supports teachers learning and working together in teams. While the concept of teachers working together may not sound particularly radical, the reality is that teachers tend to work alone as they teach each day, with little time to compare notes, generate ideas, plan for instruction, or review student progress together with colleagues. York-Barr’s research suggests that while working in teams is not an easy task, it can benefit both teachers and students.

“One of the greatest untapped resources for improving schools is the wealth of accumulated knowledge within teachers, and the new knowledge that can be generated when teachers reflect on their practice and learn from one another,” York-Barr says.

In addition to being a positive experience for teachers, it has been shown that this kind of collaboration has made inclusive schooling more practical for educating students with special needs.

How models of instructional collaboration work

York-Barr, an associate professor of educational policy and administration, explains that there is no one way that collaboration works. “We’re exploring different ways to establish and develop instructional teams that support children with diverse learning needs and strengths.”

Much of York-Barr and her colleagues’ work occurs in urban schools and specifically addresses how to teach children with a range of disabilities and children for whom English is a second language. These are children who would traditionally be removed from the learning opportunities available in general education classrooms to receive specialized instruction. When collaborative instructional models are implemented well, many of these children can remain in general education classrooms and receive instruction appropriate to their individual abilities and needs. Teachers with a variety of specializations—such as general educators, special educators, and teachers of English Language Learners (ELL)—can work together to accommodate a wide range of abilities and backgrounds by using a variety of flexible instructional groupings.

The goal is to create a meaningful, coherent, and successful experience in school for the children. For the teachers, collaboration creates an opportunity to engage in a reflective practice—working together to assess what seems to be working, what doesn’t, and why—and then adjusting instruction accordingly.

York-Barr has recently expanded her research to the organizational level, determining the most effective and efficient ways to organize staff into teams on a schoolwide basis.

What the research shows

Findings from the research and development work of York-Barr and her colleagues suggest that instructional collaboration is not an easy task, but the results are highly promising. The research demonstrates that some of the significant challenges in shifting to a collaborative approach are time, skills, and a supportive environment. Trust must be established among team members and support must be present in the school environment. York-Barr says that as the positive outcomes of collaborative teaching are demonstrated, these issues will be resolved.

“Students benefit from the exchange of expertise among teachers of varied backgrounds,” York-Barr explains. “For example, the research has shown that as general education teachers plan and teach with teachers whose background is in teaching English as a second language, they observe and begin to use strategies to support English language development. When special educators become more grounded in general education curriculum and assessment, they are better able to support students with special education needs to access the general curriculum and improve their students’ performance on assessments.”

What others say about the collaborative teaching model

Anne Smith, project officer with the U.S. Department of Education, has worked with York-Barr on research grant proposals and at conference presentations. “Jennifer is doing work that is really grounded in the daily business of schools and in the very real concerns of children and families,” Smith says. “Her work is all about developing ways to deploy a school’s human resources in a way that supports inclusion for all students. It’s about teachers working in partnership. It’s very practical and pragmatic research that is helpful and relevant to teachers and administrators.”

Valeria Silva, director of the English Language Learners (ELL) Department for St. Paul Public Schools, says York-Barr’s work has provided the ELL team “with the support and vision we needed to start a major change in the way ELL teachers provide instruction in the St. Paul schools. Jennifer showed us the light. She gave us the academic and emotional support that I needed to define the way ELL instruction should be delivered. We started a radical change three years ago [based on York-Barr’s research] and now we are collecting the positive learning and results of co-teaching and inclusion.”

Wayne Sailor, professor at the University of Kansas, says, “Jennifer York-Barr’s professional contribution to the field of education has been very significant. She was among the first to recognize that inclusion for students who have extensive disabilities is about general education and requires a whole-school approach. She proceeded to become a principle architect of the administrative, team, and curricular components required to allow inclusion to benefit the goals of general education as well as special education. The ongoing efforts to provide inclusive educational programs for all students owe a tremendous debt to Jennifer.”

Why this research matters

“The pace and demands on teachers continues to intensify, particularly in this era of high accountability. Instructional collaboration is one way to better support the increasingly diverse student population in our schools. It is also one way to better support teachers in their continuous development,” York-Barr says. “If we can find ways to eliminate the sense of isolation felt by teachers and reduce the fragmented days that children experience, we will have made significant progress in our schools. If we want children to be excited about learning, we must create a rich and supportive learning environment for teachers as well.”

July 2002