Clinical field experience

Running Head: LEADERSHIP AND COLLABORATION IN TEACHING 1

LEADERSHIP AND COLLABORATION IN TEACHING

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LEADERSHIP AND COLLABORATION IN TEACHING 2

Students with disabilities need special attention when it comes to learning. Inclusive

learning has been adopted by many teachers across the world. This is where they would prefer

students with disabilities to learn in general classrooms alongside with non-disabled students.

Special education teachers should serve as leaders who assists general education teachers in

learning the needs of the students with disabilities. (Mulholland & O'Connor 2016). And how they

are supposed to be treated in order to have a good understanding of subjects as mathematics.

The teachers have an opportunity to demonstrate collaborative leadership and make sure

that students are satisfied from their mode of teaching. Team teaching is important in inclusive

learning. It helps special needs children have social interactions with their peers hence gaining

positivity. There have been collaboration models that teachers are using in order to be successful

in their activities and satisfying the needs of the students.

The learning center collaboration model is important as different teachers gather in a room

where students are arranged into groups. Special needs students help in giving instructions to other

teachers on how to handle the mild disabled students. The other model is the alternative

collaboration setting where special education teachers may work with paraeducators and ensure

that the student programs are followed. (De Melendez & Beck 2018). Students are divided into

small groups hence getting a chance with their instructors one on one. Inclusive learning will give

a chance to the mild disabled students to learn how to solve mathematical problems easily. This is

because they are interacting with other students under good guidance from different teachers and

paraeducators.

Teachers should adopt ways to come up with a safe and inclusive environment to students

with disabilities. They should encourage all students to be one’s keeper even outside classrooms.

This way, students who are fast learners will help students with mild disabilities to solve

LEADERSHIP AND COLLABORATION IN TEACHING 3

mathematical problems. Second, they should encourage students based on life experiences. Show

them that anything is achievable when it comes to the real world. (Ismail & Muhammad 2018). By

doing this, teachers will help in creating an environment which is culturally responsive with good

social interactions and better learning activities.

Team teaching may have their own advantages as well as disadvantages. One advantage is

that there will be quality teaching since teachers from different fields combine efforts in handling

problems. This will improve student’s satisfaction. Collaborative teaching stimulates creativity as

teachers their different ideas on how to handle students from all aspects. Disadvantages of

collaborative teaching; it requires more time to plan on how to handle lessons, decision making

takes long since all members must come to a conclusion. (Pancsofar & Petroff 2016). Some

teachers feel that they are doing more work than others and this will create conflicts. Team teaching

basically may discourage teachers since they don’t want to be humiliated when they haven’t

reached their targets.

LEADERSHIP AND COLLABORATION IN TEACHING 4

References

De Melendez, W. R., & Beck, V. (2018). Teaching young children in multicultural classrooms:

Issues, concepts, and strategies. Cengage Learning.

Ismail, S. N., Kanesan, A. G., & Muhammad, F. (2018). Teacher Collaboration as a Mediator for

Strategic Leadership and Teaching Quality. International Journal of Instruction, 11(4),

485-498.

Pancsofar, N., & Petroff, J. G. (2016). Teachers’ experiences with co-teaching as a model for

inclusive education. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 20(10), 1043-1053.

Mulholland, M., & O'Connor, U. (2016). Collaborative classroom practice for inclusion:

perspectives of classroom teachers and learning support/resource teachers. International

journal of inclusive education, 20(10), 1070-1083.