CO-TEACHING STRATEGY

Station Teaching Many elementary teachers are very familiar with the station teaching concept and set up since learning centers are a vital part of the learning process and frequently used in the classrooms. When looking at station teaching, Emily Sims, states in an article she wrote for the English Journal, that teachers create learning centers or stations around the classroom. Both teachers facilitate these stations (Figure 1 p. 62). In this co-teaching approach, teachers divide content and students. Each teacher then teaches the content to one group and subsequently repeats the instruction for the other group. If appropriate, a third station could require that students work independently (Cook and Friend, p. 15). Our 3rde grade class is comprised of twenty-one students (seventeen boys and four girls), two teachers, and one paraprofessional. The students are between the ages of 9-12. We have a 50% plus one class. 50% of the class is SpEd and 50% plus one is general education. The class has ten SpEd students with the following disabilities: Autism, Aspergers Syndrome, bi-polar, mildly impaired, and orthopedically impaired. The rest of the students are general education. Lesson Plan: [Strand] - Students will further develop their understanding of numbers (including fractions) and how to represent them. The students will understand and apply addition, subtraction and multiplication through concrete manipulation and perform basic calculations. [Element] - Use money as a medium of exchange. Make change and use decimal notation and the dollar and cent symbols to represent the collection of coins and currency. The station teaching plan that follows will serve as practice and reinforcement after several days of direct instruction on the topic of money.

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There will be four stations, each one in a corner of the classroom. The first three stations will be manned by the two co-teachers and the para. The fourth station will be an independent station. Three groups will consist of five students and one group will consist of six students. Students will rotate through each station during the course of our Math Review/Math Instruction Time, spending approximately 25 minutes per station. The stations that will be used are: Station One: Equivalent Amounts, Station Two: Going Shopping, Station Three: Adding and Subtracting Money, Station Four: Reinforcement Using Technology. Stations one through three will each have a complete set of money for the students to use. Station One: The student will (TSW) be able to make equivalent amounts. The teacher will (TTW) give students an amount then instruct the students to show an equivalent amount. For example: TTW will put a quarter on the table. TTW instruct the students to show as many equivalent amounts as possible. TSW show two dimes and one nickel, 25 pennies, or one dime, two nickels, and five pennies, etc. TTW put 50 cents on the table and instruct students to show the same amount using 6 coins. TSW place four dimes and two nickels on the table. Station Two: TSW be able to make change for a $5 or $10 bill after shopping at the class store. TTW have a variety of items (with prices included) on the table. TSW shop at the store. TSW take turns being the cashier. The cashier will give change to the shoppers based on the item(s) they purchased with either a $5 or $10 bill. Station Three: TSW add and subtract various amounts of money. TTW call out a money math problem. TSW complete the problem on the dry erase board and hold it up upon completion for the

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teacher/para to check. Subtraction problems will be across the zeros (for example $14.00 $7.93). TTW also incorporate word problems using addition and subtraction with money. Station Four: This is an independent station where students will have a choice of three different sites where they can practice working with money. The self-paced sites are: http://www.gpb.org/countonit/games/third/money http://www.moneyinstructor.com/games.asp http://www.apples4theteacher.com/java/counting/money.html As I reflect on the station teaching I see that it has many benefits. Struggling students were given much needed practice time. It also helped the teacher/para see who was still struggling, needing additional help, and those that had grasped the information. Using small groups gave those students that were unsure of their abilities more teacher time. Another benefit of using station teaching is students are exposed to a variety of teaching methods in a several different ways. As teachers, we were able to work at a station where we felt most comfortable. By doing this we were able to teach and help students using our strengths. Additionally, buy giving students various stations we were able to reinforce the standards using a performance based application. I feel that station teaching is a wonderful reinforcement/practice tool for those students that are uncomfortable being in front of the class or for those that feel that unsure of themselves. Students are not overwhelmed, nor put on the spot, by having to go to the board to work out problems. They do not become bored with listening to a teacher instruct. Most importantly students cannot hide in the classroom. Instead they are given a large quantity of small group practice where they can feel free to ask questions and ask for help as they work out the math

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problems. By keeping the groups small, students not only get the help they need, but they also receive immediate feedback. If I could change one thing, it may be to have a little longer time with Station One (equivalent amount) and Station Two (class store). The next time I use this lesson, I will have Station Three and Station Four switch on the regular 20-25 minute time frame, but allot additional time for the first two stations. Equivalent amounts and making change was challenging for my students. I may even opt to change Station Three entirely and have it be the same as either Station One or Station Three. For my group of students this was a very effective lesson. This class tends to have more kinesthetic learners than any other learning style.

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References Emily Sims. (2008). Sharing Command of the Co-Teaching Ship: How to Play Nice With Others. English Journal, 97(5), 1-16. Friend, & Cook. (2004, April 29). Co-Teaching: Principals, Practices, and Pragmatics. Paper presented at the New Mexico Public Education Quarterly Special Education Meeting, Albuquerque, New Mexico. Friend, Marilyn. (2010). Co-Teach! A Handbook For Creating and Sustaining Effective Classroom Partnerships in Inclusive Schools. Greensboro, NC: Author. (Original work published 2008) (https://www.georgiastandards.org/Standards/Pages/BrowseStandards/BrowseGPS.aspx, May 20, 2011) (http://www.apples4theteacher.com/java/counting/money.html, May 1, 2011) (http://www.moneyinstructor.com/games.asp, May 1, 2011) (http://www.gpb.org/countonit/games/third/money, May 1, 2011)