Collaborative and Complementary Teaching: Pros, Cons, Ways to Incorporate
For this blog, I would like to discuss collaborative and complementary teaching. There are 2 main questions/topics I'd like to build on (you don't have to address both, but it is certainly welcome):
1. What are some ways to incorporate your subject into other subjects, other subjects into your subject, or any other possible subject collaborations you would like to discuss? (my subject area is social studies/history, so if you could include that, even better)
1. I am a history major as well and one of things that I saw during my student teaching was an English and History teacher working together. The history teacher was talking about desegregation and the english teacher was teaching out of the book "To Kill A Mockingbird." The two teamed up and used the book as an example of how people of color were treated so poorly and were not given the same rights as white people. At the end the students did a project for both classes with a paper and presentation. They turned out pretty good.
ReplyDeleteIn answer to your first question it really depends on what subject you are teaching. I am a history major was well and I know that papers making sure the students use correct English helps for both. Having students study a country would help incorporate geography into history. It really just depends as I said on what subject area you are teaching. I think in answer to your second question it really is all pros. The more you integrate more subjects into your core area the more well rounded your classroom will be for the benefit of the students.
ReplyDeleteI am in the Language Arts program, so I think grammar usage can be incorporated into social studies/history. These two subjects require writing capabilities, which are obviously more elaborated on in english class. Also, I think art and english could be meshed, using the expression of visual and verbal creativity. I think the separation of each subject does serve a purpose in establishing the significance of each individual field of study. Connections will be made by the student regardless if the teacher directly identifies this correlation.
ReplyDeleteLanguage Arts/English and History/Social Studies are definitely two subject areas that can be tied into each other pretty effectively if done right, as you three have stated. Art and English is another combination that I had not really thought of as much, but I can definitely see it. Art and/or music with English - and I think with History, too - would be some good combo's. I agree with mlolley that you should establish the significance of each individual subject, but I also agree with cparis that the more you can integrate into your classroom the more well rounded it will be.
ReplyDeleteI usually find that I get better results when ever I add a little history into my lessons. Two of my favorite lessons deal with cave paintings and castles. The cave paintings I connect to early mans different forms of communication found throughout the world, with cave paintings being the earliest. My lesson on Castle drawings explains how and why flags first started being used. I usually do this lesson with third graders and I explain how Castles originally started out as a fortress against invaders. While I am talking, I am drawing a simple Castle on the board and have students draw along with me. Of course all the things they have seen in movies get added into their drawings. It seems every little girl wants to be a princess, and little boys are knights in shining armor (with swords).
ReplyDeleteI see many positive points regarding incorporating subjects into other subjects. Students who have some difficulty in math for instance, may find it more interested if it comes associated with drawing or even history, bringing up how the formulas started, who develop them.... History can always be incorporated into geography, the study of how a nation was born, how it started in a certain region and it moved to another one... The only con side I can think is it might make students a little overwhelmed if not handled well, if t he teacher gives too much information at the same time. Other tan that, I can only see beneficial points!
ReplyDeleteCollaborative teaching is definitely a plus for students.It provides for deeper understandingand allows for a more relevant connection to the curriculum. Often times, I connect with the math teacher to intertwined mathematical and scientific concepts. That way students receive the same conceptual instruction in both classes.
ReplyDeleteI thinkt that you could collaborate with the reading or language arts teacher. I believe that you could use reading and/or language skills to help students create reports or even read on their current reading level. I am a mathematics teacher and I try to include reading in my lessons. At the beginning of starting a new concept I will read a mathematics story. I think that it would be a great idea for student to collaborate with their peers and write their own mathematics story to share with the class.
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