Collaborative Planning and Teacher Efficacy Of High School Mathematics Co-teachers

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by dabgoudw

Current educational policies such as NCLB and IDEA drive the adoption of inclusive classrooms, creating accountability demands for both general and special education teachers. High school mathematics inclusion settings are particularly difficult when special education co-teachers may lack advanced content expertise. Collaboration supports effective lesson planning that meets all learners’ needs. The study uses quantitative research with follow-up interviews to examine co-teachers’ efficacy under different collaborative planning times, informing future research and school practice in inclusive contexts.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages13

Reading Time33 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Introduction

Conceptual Framework

Collaborative Planning

Collaborative Planning and Teacher Efficacy Of High School Mathematics Co-teachers Raquel C. Rimpola ABSTRACT Current educational policies such as NCLB and IDEA have led to the adoption of inclusive classrooms in schools. This presents challenges to teachers because they are held accountable for the learning experiences of both general and special education students. The situation is especially challenging in high school mathematics inclusion classes where the special education coteachers may not necessarily possess the content expertise to teach advanced levels of mathematics. Collaboration between co-teachers is necessary in order to successfully plan effective lessons that address the needs of all students. A quantitative research design was used, with follow up interviews for further explanation of the findings. This study provides information about the teacher efficacy of high school mathematics co-teachers when various collaborative planning times were considered. Implications for future studies and school practice were presented, while considering the efficacy of co-teachers in inclusive contexts. INTRODUCTION All students should have access to the highest quality mathematics instruction. According to NCTM (2000), excellence in mathematics education requires equity. This means that mathematics educators should have high expectations and provide strong support for all learners. Students who are passionate about mathematics and have a deep interest in pursuing careers in science, engineering, technology, and mathematics should have their talents and interests nurtured. Likewise, students with special needs must have access to support services that can allow them to gain a concrete understanding of mathematics. Youth, who struggle in mathematics, may require additional resources, such as afterschool tutoring, extended time on tests, and peer mentoring. Teachers of mathematics should accommodate the unique and range of needs of these students without inhibiting the learning of other students (NCTM, 2000) . This is especially true when teaching inclusion mathematics classes. Co-teaching is an effective means for providing the supplementary aid and services to students, with or without disabilities, who are taught in the general education classrooms (Jennings, 2007; Murawski, 2009; Villa, Thousand, & Nevin, 2008) . In an effective co-teaching partnership, both the general and special education teachers are responsible for the delivery of instruction in the inclusion classes (Alper & Ryndak, 1992; Bauwens, Hourcade, & Friend, 1989; Murawski, 2009). In particular, teaching mathematics inclusion classes requires both co-teachers to plan a variety of ways to support all students as they learn advanced mathematical concepts. While this endeavor would seem to be a natural progression in addressing the needs of both general and special education students, it is important to consider certain pre-existing conditions (e.g. teacher perception about teaching inclusion classes, teacher preparation for teaching inclusion classes) that may derail plans for delivering quality instruction in inclusion mathematics classes. Without Educational Planning 41 Vol. 21, No. 3 adequate training, high school teachers can hold a limited perception about their ability to address the needs of the special education students in their class (Van Reusen, Shoho,& Barker, 2001) . On the other hand, even a highly qualified special education teacher may feel overwhelmed by the requirement of providing effective instruction to his or her students with mathematical challenges (Humphrey & Hourcade, 2010) . One possible way to address these concerns is to engage general and special education teachers of inclusion classes in collaboration efforts. This collaboration may lead to an increase in teacher efficacy of both collaborating teachers (Shidler, 2009) . CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory (1997) posits that learning is determ

FAQs

Why is collaboration necessary for high school mathematics co-teachers in inclusive classrooms?

Collaboration helps co-teachers plan lessons that address the needs of both general and special education students. It is especially important when special education co-teachers may not have content expertise for advanced mathematics.

What research methods does the study use to examine teacher efficacy?

The study uses a quantitative research design and includes follow-up interviews to further explain the findings.

How does collaborative planning relate to teacher efficacy in the study?

The study provides information about teacher efficacy by considering different collaborative planning times. It also discusses implications for school practice and future studies in inclusive contexts.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by dabgoudw