Imagine stepping into a classroom where a teacher and instructional coach work side by side while teaching students simultaneously. Together in this coaching scenario, the instructional coach and teacher bring their own skills to create a warm, engaging, and effective classroom environment. This isn’t an abstract concept for instructional coaching—it’s the practical reality of co-teaching, which can be utilized as a vehicle to help teachers grow in their practice. When instructional coaches and school leaders embrace co-teaching, they create opportunities for teachers in their school to learn by doing, adapt strategies in real time, and better support every student in the room. In this blog, we explore how co-teaching can serve as a powerful form of instructional coaching, offering hands-on rehearsal, personalized support for all students, differentiated instruction, and a gradual release approach to instructional coaching putting teachers who are receiving the coaching in positions where they can implement and practice new instructional strategies, refining strategies in their instructional toolkit, or implementing edtech tools.
Why Co-Teaching as Instructional Coaching Is Impactful:
- It Is A Form of Rehearsal:
Co-teaching provides a real-world practice ground where teachers can try out new strategies (with the support of their instructional coach on hand), receive immediate feedback, and adjust their instruction on the fly—much like a rehearsal that builds confidence and competence. - Supports All Students:
With two educators in the classroom, instruction can be more flexible and responsive. Whether through one-on-one interactions or small group interventions, every student gets the attention they need to succeed. - Differentiates Instruction:
The dynamic between co-teachers creates an environment where differentiation is not just possible but naturally integrated into everyday teaching. For example, during parallel co-teaching, while the strategies employed may be the same, the lessons each teacher is teaching to students may be differentiated. - Gradual Release Model for Instructional Coaching:
Co-teaching fits seamlessly into a gradual release model, where teachers initially work closely with a partner to learn a new strategy or edtech tool. Over time, as confidence grows, they transition to more independent practice, supported by the continued guidance of their coach.
Basic Co-teaching Strategies To Help You Get Started
To use co-teaching as a form of instructional coaching, I recommend reviewing the following co-teaching strategies. The first three are easy-to-get-started strategies while the final two strategies are more advanced co-teaching strategies. Instructional coaches can select one or more of these strategies to be utilized to support instructional coaching work with a teacher. Let’s dive into each of them that could be utilized for this form of coaching. We first start with the most basic form of co-teaching. Then, we will go into the more sophisticated co-teaching strategies as we progress down this list.
One Teach, One Observe – In the “One Teach, One Observe” co-teaching strategy, one teacher leads the instruction while the other co-teacher takes on the role of an observer who monitors student behavior and engagement, gathers data on student understanding, and looks for teaching strategies that can be optimized. For example, in a 3rd-grade classroom, while one teacher leads a reading instruction, discussing the main themes of a storybook, the observing teacher might note and collect data on how students interact with the story, who struggles with comprehension, and who provides insightful comments. Additionally, this teacher monitors for behavior and redirects students during various parts of the lesson.
One Teach, One Support – This co-teaching strategy involves one teacher leading the class in a lesson while the other teacher circulates around the room, offering additional support where needed. This might include helping students with learning disabilities, managing classroom behavior, or providing differentiated resources. In a fifth-grade setting, during a math lesson on addition and subtraction, one teacher can lead the instruction from the front of the class while the other helps students individually, ensuring they use the correct problem-solving techniques and understand the process.
Graze and Tag – This co-teaching strategy entails one teacher leading the main instruction while the other “grazes” around the room, assisting students as needed, and then “tags” the lead teacher to switch roles or to highlight a teaching moment. For instance, in a primary classroom during an art lesson, while one teacher instructs students, the other teacher might help students individually. When a common issue arises, such as difficulties in classroom management or the need for one-on-one or small group support, the supporting teacher could “tag” the lead teacher to address this issue with the whole class
Team-Teaching – Team teaching is a collaborative co-teaching strategy in which both teachers actively share the responsibility of instructing the entire class simultaneously. Instead of dividing the class into separate groups, both educators work together to present the lesson, engage students, and manage the classroom as one cohesive unit.
Parallel Teaching – Parallel teaching involves dividing the class into two groups, with each teacher responsible for teaching the same or a slightly modified lesson concurrently to their respective group. While the core content remains similar, the smaller group setting allows for more tailored instruction and individualized attention.
Using Co-Teaching as an Opportunity to Coach Teachers and Support Students All At Once
Co-teaching is not just about sharing classroom responsibilities—it’s a dynamic form of instructional coaching that benefits both teachers and students simultaneously. When instructional coaches and school leaders embrace co-teaching, they create an environment where teachers can experiment, reflect, and grow professionally while ensuring that every student receives high-quality instruction.
Learning by Doing and Modeling New Strategies
One of the greatest advantages of co-teaching is that it allows teachers to learn new instructional strategies or edtech tools in real-time. Imagine a scenario where one teacher models a new approach to incorporating an interactive edtech tool into a lesson. The co-teacher and the rest of the teaching team observe the process, ask questions, and take notes. Immediately after, the roles can be reversed so that the previously observing teacher gets a chance to implement the strategy while receiving live feedback. This “learning by doing” approach is akin to a rehearsal—teachers gain confidence and competence through direct application and real-time adjustments.
Immediate Feedback and Reflective Practice
During co-teaching sessions, the presence of two educators means that one can focus on delivering content while the other observes, provides support, and collects feedback. This immediate feedback loop is invaluable:
- Instant Reflection: Teachers can pause to discuss what’s working and what might need tweaking, ensuring that new strategies are refined on the spot.
- Tailored Support: Instructional coaches can provide personalized guidance based on observations, helping teachers to adjust how they use their strategies in a classroom environment for better clarity.
Differentiated Instruction for All Students
Co-teaching naturally lends itself to differentiated instruction—a key component of effective classroom environments. With two teachers in the room, it becomes feasible to:
- Address Diverse Needs: One teacher can work with a small group of students who require additional support, while the other teacher continues to deliver the core content to the rest of the class through direct instruction.
- Implement Varied Strategies: Whether using one teach, one support or parallel teaching, the structure allows for multiple instructional strategies to be employed concurrently. This means that while one teacher focuses on integrating a new edtech tool, the other ensures that every student, regardless of ability, is engaged and supported.
Gradual Release and Empowerment
Co-teaching also fits seamlessly into a gradual release model of professional development:
- Guided Practice: Initially, teachers work closely with a co-teacher or coach, observing how a new strategy is implemented. For example, the co-teaching strategy of “One Teach, One Observe” can be employed during this stage.
- Independent Implementation: As confidence builds, the teacher can transition into a more independent role, continuing to apply the new strategy while still having the coach’s guidance available for feedback.
- Empowerment: This process not only strengthens the teacher’s instructional toolkit but also empowers them to adapt strategies in real-time, creating a classroom that is both warm and responsive to student needs.
A Practical Reality
This isn’t an abstract concept or a futuristic vision—it’s the practical reality of co-teaching in today’s classrooms. When educators work together in a co-teaching model, they are simultaneously supporting student learning and engaging in professional growth. Teachers get the opportunity to see a strategy modeled, rehearse it with guidance, and refine it based on immediate feedback, all while maintaining an engaging and effective learning environment for their students. If you want to see a practical example of co-teaching as a form of instructional coaching taking place, check out the blog on Transform Your Instructional and EdTech Coaching with I Do, We Do, & You Do.
Navigating the Present and Future of Education 