Addressing Diversity Through the Utilization of Team-Teaching in Teacher Education Field Experiences

The inclusion model for the delivery of special education services, the services of support personnel, reading, media, and technology specialists for example, and the use of paraprofessionals and volunteers in the classroom are common structures in place in elementary and middle schools today. Pre-service teachers should be prepared to work in such increasingly more collaborative settings. The growing diversity of the student population in public schools also sets the stage for team-teaching and other collaborative models if indeed we achieve the educational goal of “no child left behind”. In an age of specialization and individualization, some form of teacher collaboration seems not only desirable but also essential for the success of all children and all teachers. Corporate America has acknowledged the value of teamwork; why not education, particularly at the pre-service level