Spotlight Series 02 featuring Allison Kreiss

As part of our Educator Spotlight Series, we are featuring educator Allison Kreiss (@kreissteach), a high school special education teacher, who will share her experiences and best practices for inclusive education and co-teaching.

1. How long have you been working in the inclusion, co-teaching setting? I’ve been co-teaching at least one class per semester for 15/16 years I’ve been teaching.

2. What is the most rewarding part about working with a co-teacher or in the inclusion setting? I love being able to have that working relationship with someone where you can share your strengths and weaknesses. When you can finish each other’s sentences, trade-off teaching at just the right moment, understand what is needed without really having to say anything; it’s like you’re teaching with the other half of you that you didn’t know was missing.

3. What are some potential obstacles co-teachers face? How can teachers overcome these obstacles? Communication, or lack thereof, is the largest issue. When you don’t communicate about good things or bad, there’s a breakdown of trust. It becomes a situation where one controls what goes on and the other either gets in line or fights the control. It’s important to be open and honest from the beginning. Let the other person know what you like and don’t like, what things you’d like to have a part in, and your vision of how you can both work together for the betterment of your students. In the end, if it’s not about them and it becomes about you, then you’ve done them a disservice.

4. What strategies have you found most successful when working with a co-teacher? Really just keeping everything open and ready to be changed whenever it’s needed. Again, that communication is key in building trust and sharing the things that’ll help you both get better as educators and individuals.

5. What strategies have you found most successful when working with students in an inclusion setting? We progress monitor students regularly and we make sure that it’s hard for an administrator who comes in to tell who’s the general education teacher and who’s the special education teacher. Students shouldn’t be able to tell who’s who in the classroom either so dividing up responsibilities but making sure that it’s a heterogeneous mixture is really important. Don’t let one teacher appear to be the assistant or not as important in daily instruction as the other teacher.

6. What is one thing that you think teachers or schools can do to make sure classrooms are more inclusive? Some students truly need a pull-out program and small group environment. But the vast majority of students do well in an inclusive setting if their needs are addressed and the modifications and accommodations are appropriate. Students also need to want to be in that setting as well. If it’s what they want, they’ll try harder to be successful. I’ve found that some are willing to take a failing grade and repeat the class just to be moved to a less restrictive environment even though they could definitely handle the ICS class. So it’s important to motivate and encourage students as much as possible.

7. What piece of advice would you give to either new teachers entering the field or teachers working in inclusion classrooms for the first time? If you have this opportunity then you are one of the lucky ones! It’s a blessing to work with and find a person that sees your strengths and makes you a better teacher. The relationship you’ll have will feel like a marriage at times; yes, the good and bad parts. But it’s important to remember that like a marriage, your kids will test you, put one against the other, but they’ll love you for what you bring to the table in order to help them. Take the time to listen to each other; help with the grading, planning, and anything else you can so that it’s truly a shared experience. I’ve had the pleasure to have two such co-teaching relationships in my career and have loved both experiences. I wouldn’t be who I am today without them.

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The Educator Spotlight Series features educators in the field and their experiences with inclusion and co-teaching. If you are interested in being featured in the weekly series, please fill out the interest form or reach out via DM to @AssemblingIncl1