My Response To: "Team Teaching: Benefits and Challenges" by Melissa Leavitt.

Hello Readers. 

Today I'd like to discuss new teaching strategies within the classroom and how as aspiring teachers, we can either implement these strategies into our own practice, or even use some aspects of these strategies to better our teaching styles. Melissa Leavitt, PhD. discusses the importance of team teaching as a tool for discussion and the betterment of learning.  Personally, I've been enrolled in a course that utilized team teaching at Eastern Washington University. Did I like it? No. But, that was just a example of that this strategy looks like. The reason why I think it didn't work was the constant battle to speak between the two professors. To me, it seems as if this was there first time co-teaching a classroom and one didn't want to be forgotten as an instructor. This caused the classroom to become confusing and - I'm my opinion - not successful. Leavitt discusses something very important which this team lacked, the art of communication and acknowledging each other who are teaming up. In order to know someones teaching style, one must attend the other persons lectures to see how they structure their courses. The art of having two teachers in the classroom and the art of then having two different teachings styles could be a blessing. If a particular set of students doesn't like the style of one, they have the option of learning from the other teacher. Leavitt also discusses the "crossfire" technique while facilitating class room discussion. To me, I loved this idea! Having a teacher in the middle of the discussion really allows students to lower their anxiety and thus create an organic conversation. What I mean my organic is the sense that there isn't any built up anxiety of speaking so that valid or different points can be expressed by those who are not necessarily apt to speaking. While reading the article, I did have some questions on if this practice will be considered for the public schools in Washington, or is it just something that is implemented at the collegiate level at this time? To me, I know that having this in my high-school would have been something I'd thrive from. Having two teachers, a student is able to obtain twice the knowledge from two different perspectives. A great idea indeed! 

Cheers. 

Ryan