We examine our experience as teacher educators (TEs) collaborating in cross-programmatic coursework to benefit our personal teaching development and the learning and teaching of prospective teachers (PTs). Informal collaborations around PTs’ needs led to three intersecting projects: a formalized co-teaching model, development of an original interdisciplinary course, and a study about our experiences co-teaching within higher education. Throughout our work, we acted upon our convictions motivated by past research on emulation of practice (Allen, 2009) to assert that in order for PTs to instruct their students in ways that are integrative and extend beyond siloed disciplines, the PTs must experience integrative, experiential learning themselves. We employed a collaborative self-study (Laboskey, 2004) and were motivated by organic collaboration to address how we might structure coursework about integrative knowledge and critical reflection for PTs around accessibility to high-quality teaching and learning. We are now in an ongoing investigation of interdisciplinary co-teaching in what are traditionally siloed courses in teacher preparation programs. We explore the intersection of two unique philosophical lenses in the creation, implementation, and evaluation of courses offered by the university’s School of Education. Specifically, we will share reflections upon the collaborative planning, assignment choices, and in-the-moment teaching through the individual perspectives of a special education TE and an elementary mathematics TE. In sharing insights from our work, we aim to describe how co-teaching can afford TEs’ with job-embedded professional development, support during tenure demands, and aid in creatively establishing new coursework for an institution.

Authors:
Katherine Baker, Elon University, United States
Danielle Lane, Western Oregon University, United States

About the Presenter(s)
Dr Katherine Baker is a University Assistant Professor/Lecturer at Elon University, United States

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