Team Teaching: A Different Approach to A Better Educatic
By EARL H. ADAMS
Mail Tribune City EdilOr
Team teaching is a term used In educational circles
today to describe a variety of situations in which two or
more teachers cooperate in instructing a group of stu
dents. The board of education of Norwalk, Conn., public
schools has said their program is designed "to provide a
better education for pupils through a more flexible type
of classroom organization which permits sound grouping
practices and fuller ultilization of the special talents and
strengths of teachers."
Norwalk was one of the country's pioneers in adopt
ing the team teaching type of instruction.
The structure and approach to team teaching varies
among schools where it is used - from a strict team or
ganization with a leader, cooperative teachers, clerical
aides and perhaps even intern teachers, to the team
which achieves its effectiveness by cooperation through
partial departmentalization as it is in the fifth and sixth
grades in Medford public schools.
The Team in Norwalk, Conn.
In Norwalk, Conn., for example, each team consists
of a team leader, one or more cooperating teachers, and
at least one teacher aide, all of whom work on a full
time basis. There also may be a part-time teacher, or a
part-time teacher aide.
At Lexington, Mass., High school, the organization is '
a more cooperative type arrangement between teachers
rather than a strict hierarchy team organization.
Courses at Lexington, however, are scheduled so
teachers may work closely together in class on a volun
tary and instructional basis.
Basically, however, the team teaching organization is
the same: two or more teachers, with or without clerical
aide and with or without a designated leader or chair
man, cooperating in teaching a group of students.
Provide Certain Desirable Factors
Team teaching situations provide certain desirable
factors, which, for the most part,' may be lacking in the
conventional, self-contained classroom. Among them are:
1. Greater utilization of the teacher's strength.
Educators believe that a teacher interested in a
specific field is a more effective instructor in that sub
ject, and students appear to be more interested in the
subject when it is well presented.
In a team teaching situation, the teacher with a spe
cific interest teaches the subject in which that interest is
utilized. The teacher may have other instructional obli-
1 7.Utj;5--.' j-.
V''
About 60 third and fourth grade students at Estabrook elementary school in Lexington, Mass., attend a mathematics
lecture. The instructor utilizes an overhead projector in this picture taken by Salem Architect James Payne on a
recent visitation to schools in the east and mid-west.
gations, Vut his main teaching" responsibility is in his
particular field.
Teacher Instructs All Subjects
In the self-contained classroom, the teacher instructs
all subjects. Educators believe that a teacher whose
interest is predominantly in one subject, say for example
English, will not make a good instructor in another sub
ject, such as science. The teacher most likely will not
Features
Sports
Medford
Tribune
SECTION B MEDFORD, OREGON, SUNDAY, JANUARY 13, 1963 PAGES 1 to 8
Pittsburgh's Teaching Approach
By LAWRENCE WERNER
United Press International
Pittsburgh (HPD Robert
once was "a devil" In the
opinion of his teachers. He
was unmanageable and un
willing to learn a product
of "slum shock."
Today, Robert is a con
scientious pupil, eager to
keep up with his class, in
terested in his subjects and
taking music lessons.
The transition of this 11-year-old
fifth-grader from a
serious discipline problem
to a hard-working pupil is
credited to a revolutionary
concept in education team
teaching.
In a radical departure
from the traditional mcth
iods of classroom instruc
tion, team teaching utilizes
the special talents of teach
ers and permits individual
assistance for both talented
and "slow" pupils.
Teach 8,500 Students
Since its inception here
in 1960, team teaching has
spread from five elemen
tary schools to eight ele
mentary and two junior
high school facilities con
taining 8,500 pupils with
some eye-opening results.
The program here is one of
the largest team teaching
projects in the nation.
Even though an authori
tative evaluation of the
program will not be readi
ed before next fall. Dr.
Charles Hayes, director of
the program, and his staff
and the teachers in the pro
gram are optimistic about
its future. They have noted
encouraging signs.
Promising indicators are
the change In many of the
students the majority of
whom arc from "changing
neighborhoods" and the
cnthusiams of the partici
pating teachers.
Dr. Hayes describes
"slum shock" as an en
vironmental condition
which inhibits a student in
the learning process. Under
conventional teaching
methods, many of the in
structors believe such
youngsters are unable to
overcome their frustrations
and, as a result, do not rea
lize their full capabilities.
Recognized Difference
A teacher with 15 years
experience, Mrs. Bette
Shutlleworth said she rec
ognized the "tremendous
difference between team
teaching and the conven
tional system."
Dr. Hayes believes that
"most communities fail to
utilize the potential of the
areas in which they live."
Team teaching permits the
community to take part in
the education of children
and sees to it that the spe
cial skills of both teachers
and students are realized.
Examle of Teaching
Here is an example how
team teaching works . in .
Pittsburgh:
A typical team consists of
a team leader, or master
teacher, four regular teach
ers, a teacher intern from
a nearby university, and a
team mother, a member of -the
community in which
the school is situated.
Mrs. Harvey, a teacher
for 18 years, is a team
leader for 114 second grad
ers at Crescent school. The
grade formerly was appor
tioned into four classrooms
with about 36 pupils in
each.
Now, class sizes vary ac
cording to subject, the
learning ability of the stu
dents and special skills of
the teachers.
Teaches Language Arts
For example, Mrs. Har
vey, with the help of team
mother Mrs. Olive Fleming,
teaches a class in language
arts to 96 average students
and U below average.
Another teacher, Virginia
Pegnato, in a nearby class
room, teaches 11 gifted and
college potential students
i& Mh I : -f j
' n'i . i t
An Instructor in one oi i-iiuDurgn i jeacning iran. uunuwn i -
dents. (UP"
in a creative writing class.
Mrs. Rosemary Hulsman's
class in phonetic analysis
consists of five sub-average
students.
Mrs. Theresa Manella
teaches sentence structure
to seven students classified
as below average and one,
slow. Teaching intern Lin
da Pollard instructs a gift
ed child and 12 college po
tential children in oral
expression.
Phyllis Lewis, assistant
to Dr. Hayes, says the flex
ibility of team teaching is
its strength.
Teach in Large Classes
Teachers may teach in a
large class in one subject
and a small one in anoth
er. A pupil may learn one
subject in a class of near
100 and another in a con
versation group-size class.
Large groups usually are
for subjects in which the
students can make normal
progress, while concentrat
ed instruction is reserved
for subjects in which they
need either special help or
have outstanding ability.
Team teaching recognizes
that all youngsters "do not
have the same type of
needs," Dr. Hayes said. If
a student is proficient in
reading, he may be slow in
arithmetic and more
energy is applied to help
him catch up in mathema
tics. For another student,
the opposite may be true.
Individual Instruction
In conventional methods
of instruction, these young
sters would not be afforded
the opportunity to receive
individual instruction be
cause of the teaching work
load in the older system.
Teachers, too, have cer
tain areas in which they
perform more efficiently,
and team teaching uses
them accordingly. An im
portant facet of tho pro
gram, Dr. Hayes said, is the
weekly meeting of the team
teachers. It is at these ses
sions that pupils are evalu
ated and the teachers giv
en a chance to work out
various problems in the
flexible program.
Team teaching, Dr.
Hayes said, reaches out
into the social and cultural
world to help the pupils
cope with the "intellectual
competencies needed in to
day's world." Regular field
trips, which provide pupils
with experiences related to
their school work and
which they probably would
not get at home, are part of
the curriculum.
Team mothers perform
duties such as handling
projectors and other offices
which help free the profes
sionally trained teacher for
Instruction.
By the end of the 1963-64
school year, $1,116,400 will
have been spent on team
teaching in Pittsburgh
schools.
It may prove to be one of
the best investments ever
made in teaching In the
steel city.
have the knowledge or ability to teach a subject in
which he has little interest.
2. More individual student attention.
In most team teaching situations, teachers have a bet
ter knowledge of the student's abilities and weaknesses.
These factors may be discussed by the team at a planning
session, and means of assisting the student are planned.
One or more of the teachers in a team organization
will have free time when the student has free time so
the two have an opportunity for consultation.
Not In Position to Tell
In the self-contained classroom, the teacher, if he is
weak in one or more subjects, may not be in a position
to tell if a student needs help in a particular field. The
student may need assistance or encouragement in devel
oping a budding ability not recognized, an ability which
could be recognized by a "specialty teacher."
3. More efficiently planned courses.
Through greater utilization of the teacher's strength,
curriculum, especially those in team teaching situations,
can be better planned.
Course material is planned weekly throughout the
school year by the team in a planning session, when all
members of the team discuss material to be presented,
use of and arrangements for visual aid equipment, and
other aspects of instructing the course.
Relieved of Routine Paper Work
The teacher in most team situations is relieved of rou
tine paper work through utilization of clerical aides.
This gives the teacher more time for material prepara
tion. It also provides more time for the teacher to con
sult with students who have individual problems.
Teachers in many self-contained classrooms, even in
the Rogue valley, arc bogged down with paper work
which clerical aides could do. Because of this paper
work, the teacher does not take the time necessary to
provide individual attention to the student who needs
assistance or the time for detailed preparation of course
material.
4. Better classroom facilities.
Rooms Designed For Purpose
Rooms can be designed, whether in a new building
or in a building to be renovated, for a specific purpose,
such as science, language arts, and other subjects. Lec
ture, or large group instruction rooms are more efficient
if designed for that purpose.
At Estabrook elementary school in Lexington, Mass.,
for example, a lecture room is designed along the lines
of an amphitheater. The instructor occupies space at
one end on the floor level, while students occupy table
type desks elevated in rows toward the rear on the
other three sides of the room. About 100 students can
be accommodated.
At Evanston Township High school In Illinois lecture
rooms are converted conventional type classrooms with
rows of desks elevated toward the back of the room.
Part of the lecture center includes smaller conference
and discussion type classrooms.
Movable Walls Are Utilised
Movable walls arc utilized in many schools for large
and small group instruction to better utilize space.
Visual aid equipment can be better utilized in a room
designed for a specific subject. Materials can be left for
the next class session.
In the self-contained classroom, visual aid equipment
can be used, but not as effectively. The teacher in the
self-contained classroom probably will have to set up
and dismantle visual aid equipment between subjects,
causing some distraction and taking valuable classroom
time.
The change to team teaching is more pronounced in
elementary schools, since departmentalization in the
lower grades is not as common as it is in secondary
schools-. Team teaching can be organized without de
partmentalization, but tlie latter is a step to team teach
ing, such as the team approach In the fifth and sixth
grades in Medford schools. -
Partial Departmentalisation
In the fifth and sixth grades in Medford schools, the
team approach is through partial departmentalization.
Students go from one classroom to another, and both
fifth and sixth graders arc taught by the same teacher
in one subject, although the grades themselves are not
mixed. Teachers cooperate in planning courses and class
schedules. '
Schools in Lexington, Mass., and Norwalk, Conn., and
in other areas, have moved to the team approach slowly,
experimenting, reviewing and changing as problems in
the team organization develop,
But the team approach appears, to be carried out suc
cessfully where it is being tried. Students like It, and
apparently do better academically than in the conven
tional type classroom situation.
The more the team approach Is used, the more It la
refined, the more it is adapted to local situations, and
the more that is offered instructional through team
teaching, the more it is liked by both the student and
teacher.
. - '
Wilson school's teaching team is shown above discus sing educational material. Seated arc, left to right, Mrs.
Barbara Doolen, music, art and penmanship; Mrs. Ruth Kay, reading and English; and Russell Car, physical edu
cation, health and science. Standing, left to right, are Ve rne Goodrich, arithmetic, and Robert Baccus, principal.
Mrs.. Ruth Kay, reading and English Instructor for fifth and sixth graders at Mcdfnrd's Wilson school. Is shown
In one of her classes, Team teaching In the fifth and sixth grades la accomplished through partial departmentalization.