Using Students' Drawings to Elicit General and Special Educators' Perceptions of Co-Teaching
Department
Inclusive Education
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
7-2008
Abstract
This paper describes the findings of a study of general and special educators’ perceptions of co-teaching in elementary and middle school classrooms. A total of 85 students, 20 general education, and 11 special education teachers participated in this investigation in which student drawings were used as both data and as tools to spark teacher reflection. Students’ pictorial depictions of co-teaching were analyzed for apparent features and traits. Co-teachers’ reactions to the drawings were springboards for reflective conversations around modifications they felt needed to take place to improve co-teaching. Findings suggest that proactive role distribution, support structures, and trust building are critical factors in strengthening co-teaching. Implications for practice are discussed.
Journal Title
Teaching and Teacher Education
Journal ISSN
0742-051X
Volume
24
Issue
5
First Page
1376
Last Page
1396
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
10.1016/j.tate.2007.06.007