EVERY STUDENT BELONGS. EVERY STUDENT ACHIEVES.
In-Class Support
Peer Support | Support Facilitation by an Educational Assistant | Support Facilitation by a Certified Teacher | Collaborative Teaching
In-class support is provided inside the general education classroom in concert with the general education teacher. This includes peer supports, support facilitation, or collaborative teaching.
Peer Support
Generally two levels of peer support: 1) Peer Assistant: informal assistance with physical, social or personal management needs - minimal level of responsibility; 1:1 assistance; 2) Peer Tutor: formal, instructional tutoring following teacher direction & oversight; 1:1 - 1:5 assistance
- A formal, written peer tutoring program is in place and fully implemented.
- The peer tutoring program is formally evaluated annually and adjustments are made as indicated.
- Opportunities are provided for students receiving peer tutoring to serve in a helping role themselves.
- The data is collected to determine the extent to which the peer assistant/tutoring program tutors makes a positive difference in supporting students with IEPs in the general education classroom and in specialized support classrooms, when appropriate.
- At the higher grades, peer tutors receive class credit and may be encouraged to consider teaching as their future profession.
Support Facilitation by an educational assistant
Instructional/behavioral support provided on the basis of student needs in the general education classroom; may vary from one, two or three days each week to one-half of the class time each day of the week. The role of a teaching educational assistant conforms to the restriction from instructing students in new concepts and content. The educational assistant carries out the responsibilities specified by a certified teacher.
- The teacher and educational assistant are comfortable with and follow the guidelines related to their individual roles.
- Team teaching is not an option that is implemented in a classroom in which support facilitation is provided.
- The teaching partners model a positive working relationship for the class.
- The roles of alternative teaching, one teach/one assist and one teach/one observe and station teaching are the predominant approaches in use.
- The opportunity to reduce the amount of support provided by the educational assistant is reviewed regularly.
- The class receiving support facilitation from an educational assistant is composed of no more than the natural proportion of students with IEPs in the school, (typically 8-12%).
- The teacher finds a regular opportunity to plan with the educational assistant regarding his or her specific role in the classroom.
- The teacher ensures that the classroom management approach is consistent and followed as prescribed by the educational assistant.
- The educational assistant does not “over-support” or provide services that are stigmatizing to any student.
Support Facilitation by a Certified Teacher
Instructional/behavioral support provided on the basis of student needs in the general education classroom; may vary from one, two or three days each week to one-half of the class time each day of the week. This support may look identical to the more formal co-teaching with the exception that it is not needed every day of the school week and the number of special education students in the class does not exceed the natural proportion.
- Teaching partners are adept at least five of the six Marilyn Friend collaborative teaching approaches and select the best option appropriate for the content and students they are teaching. Note: The Team Teaching option may not be practical for the limited time the support facilitator may be in the classroom.
- The one-teach/one observe and one teach/one assist approaches constitute less than 5% of the collaborative options chosen.
- The teachers model a positive working relationship for their class and use opportunities to instruct students in the characteristics of a collaborative partnership when the opportunity arises.
- Teaching partners equally contribute to the portion of lesson planning that will be shared and are comfortable introducing new strategies to each other.
- Classroom instruction is effective and well-coordinated.
- Both teachers have equal status in the classroom.
- No more than the natural proportion of students with IEPs in the school, (typically 8-12%) are placed in a classroom served by a support facilitator.
- The teachers are learning skills from each other and have created a strong blend of their strengths.
Collaborative Teaching
Instructional/behavioral support provided on the basis of student needs in the general education classroom; may vary from one, two or three days each week to one-half of the class time each day of the week. This support may look identical to the more formal co-teaching with the exception that it is not needed every day of the school week and the number of special education students in the class does not exceed the natural proportion.
- Teaching partners use all six Marilyn Friend collaborative teaching approaches and select the best option appropriate for the content and students they are teaching.
- The one teach/one observe and one teach/one assist approaches constitute less than 5% of the collaborative options chosen.
- The teaching partners model a positive working relationship for their class and use opportunities to instruct students in the characteristics of a collaborative partnership when the opportunity arises.
- Both teaching partners equally contribute to regularly scheduled lesson planning sessions and are comfortable introducing new strategies to each other.
- Classroom instruction is seamless and is well coordinated.
- Both teachers have equal status in the classroom.
- The collaborative class is composed of no more than 1/3 students with IEPs or special needs.
- The teachers are learning skills from each other and have created a strong blend of their strengths.
