CoTEL It on the Mountain: Maximizing Student Success for All Students

Kelli Dehr Bernedo, PhD, Indiana University Southeast, New Albany, Indiana, USA
Molly Riddle, PhD, Indiana University Southeast, New Albany, Indiana, USA

Drs. Bernedo and Riddle are teacher educators who began their journey of co-teaching as elementary teachers. Their educational aspirations and careers took them in different directions after teaching in the elementary setting. However, in 2023, the co-teaching team was reunited as they were both serving in higher education roles, preparing the next generation of PK-12 teachers. Their university is situated between a large urban area with growing refugee resettlement organizations and rural districts with increasing English language learner (ELL) populations. Given this unique location, PK-12 teachers must be prepared to meet the needs of ELL students.

The co-teaching pair recently presented a co-constructed framework titled Co-Teaching with an Equity Lens (CoTEL ) (Riddle & Bernedo, 2023). This framework was co-developed by aligning it with Honigsfeld and Dove’s (2015) collaborative instructional cycle and Gorski et al.’s (2015) equity literacy framework. The collaborative instructional cycle suggests three essential elements for collaborative instruction when working with ELLs. One of the essential elements they suggest is the maintenance of the collaborative instructional cycle that impacts student learning, which includes four interconnected phases: co-planning, co-instruction, co-assessment, and co-reflection. Gorski’s framework suggests that the key to developing equity literacy is to promote four abilities for students and educators. Their work focuses on one of the abilities, which includes studying how bigger social change happens (Gorski et al., 2015, p. 37). The CoTEL framework was intentionally designed to include a section solely dedicated to the differentiated instructional needs of all students.

At the outset of the presentation, Drs. Bernedo and Riddle shared their definition of co-teaching within teacher education as at least one elementary teacher education content specialist and at least one ELL teacher education specialist maintaining four interconnected phases (i.e., co-planning, co-instructing, co-assessing, and co-reflecting) to model and engage future teachers in critical conversations around equitable practices (Bernedo, K. D et al., 2024).

As part of the presentation, Drs. Bernedo and Riddle asked the participants to define co-teaching in their PK-12 settings. Below are several examples of their definitions:

Co-teaching and supplementing plans before the lesson happens. Then, co-teaching as planned.

Working with co-teachers to achieve success for all students.

Planning together, teaching together, and reflecting/modifying together to ensure student success.

Collaborating with content-area teachers to create equitable education for all students.

Using the strengths of each teacher to create an enhanced class for all students to achieve success in the classroom.

Collaboration during planning and instruction to improve outcomes for all students.

These teacher-created definitions illuminate the understanding that co-teaching is intended to maximize support given to all students. The section below offers strategies PK-12 teachers can utilize to support the needs of all students through co-teaching practices.

Build a Relationship with your Co-Teacher

• Assume positive intent.
• Be open and vulnerable to each other’s strengths and weaknesses.
   

Share the classroom space and routines

• Make sure both teachers have a workspace in the classroom.
• Share authority in the classroom.
   

Work together to maximize student success for all students

• Take responsibility for all students in the classroom.
• Share successes and times of growth.
• Don’t assume that academic ability and language ability are the same.

References

Bernedo, K. D., Riddle, M. A., Asim, S, & Albrecht, D. (2024). Using co-teaching in elementary educator preparation to prepare teacher candidates to serve English language learners in methods coursework. Co-Teaching in Teacher Education: Centering Equity (pp. 63-76). Teachers College Press.

Dehr Bernedo, K., & Riddle, M. (2023, December 29). Better together: co-teaching to support equity in educator training. Times Higher Education. https://www.timeshighereducation.com/campus/better-together-coteaching-support-equity-educator-training

Dehr Bernedo, K., & Riddle, M. (2023, November 19). Co-Teaching for Equity in Elementary Education: Preparing Teacher Candidates to Serve English Language Learners in STEM Methods Coursework [Conference Presentation]. International Conference on Philosophy of Education and Values Education. University of Philippines Virtual Conference.

Kelli Dehr Bernedo, PhD is the Coordinator and an Assistant Professor of ENL/ESL Education Programs at Indiana University Southeast. Before joining IUS, her background included eleven years of K-12 teaching, coaching, and program leadership, with her main focus being English language learning and bilingual education. She serves in numerous leadership roles at the local, state, national, and international levels, including the current chair of the TESOL International Association PK-12 Interest Section.

Molly A. Riddle, PhD is an Assistant Professor of Elementary Mathematics at Indiana University Southeast. Before joining IUS, her background included eleven years of K-8 teaching and alternative education, four years as an Associate Instructor in Indiana University Bloomington’s teacher education program, and three years as the Elementary Education Coordinator at Greensboro College. As a scholar, she is dedicated to cultivating a robust understanding of diversity, equity, and social justice within communities and classrooms.