IV Educators’ Unconference "Learn like in a film: educator in the objective" 15.05.2018. Discussion group of co-teaching. Experts Katrin Aava and Pille Slabina.

The workshop and discussion of educators’ at the unconference on May 15 called “Co-teaching – how to make it useful for the learner and the educator?” included co-teaching theoretically and practically. Participating experts Pille Slabina and Katrin Aava from Tallinn University have used co-teaching at courses for years or in other words they teach together (sometimes there are three of them) and according to them they even cannot imagine teaching in another way any more.

The workshop was structured so that participants with now co-teaching experience became familiar with the method and were motivated to try it out; participants with the experience of co-teaching got new ideas and were encouraged to move on. Experts’ explanations altered with games and practical tasks, which gave an impetus to the general discussion. Although many examples were brought out from general education, agreement was reached in discussions that it can be transferred to adult education. At the same time also web-based discussion was conducted and monitored by Kelly Saatmann. 

At first the participants wanted to know what co-teaching actually was. It came out that it did not mean that two educators are in front of the class or two teachers concurrently give lessons at school or two lectures deliver lectures at the same time. Co-teaching is a long and time-consuming process, in which both educators (teachers) participate from preparation to giving feedback, both contribute in each stage. It assumes physical and mental co-being. Co-teaching is not the same as cooperation; however, there is no co-teaching without any collaboration.

Some ideas brought out in the workshop, which include factors that hinder co-teaching:
- The biggest obstacle is the fact that people do not know how to manage the time factor.
- Lack of cooperation skills.
- Fear that the workload is unevenly distributed.
- Trust, we have to trust the other person completely.
- Similar way of thinking is important.
- It is important to have adequate time resources, it is vital.
- A lot depends on the culture of the organisation. 

Experts’ and participants’ opinions: how to avoid risk points in co-teaching:
- It is difficult to lead teachers to practical co-teaching, but it does not hinder the spreading of the idea and the way of thinking.
- Integration of subjects is better comprehended in the society than co-teaching.
- Does co-teaching and its planning do away with spontaneity? Creativity is especially important in co-teaching and will not disappear in co-teaching, not everything can be planned as it may seem.
- Teachers/educators involved in co-teaching (collaborating) must first discuss their teaching philosophy because it forms a relevant foundation for co-teaching.
- It may happen that one party starts do dominate over the other one. Then things have to be cleared. The dominant but able-to-learn teacher/educator has to find an option for the development, and also reflection plays its role here.
- The set goal, which participants want to achieve within the learning process and the established learning objective, has to be agreed to.
- The more different the teachers/educators are form the aspect of age, gender and experience, the more successful their co-teaching is.

But why try co-teaching? Katrin Aava and Pille Slabina: ”The ideology of competition forms the basis of education on a large scale. How does that affect relationship between teachers and students, teachers’ work, educators? It does not actually take us anywhere. Collaboration should be the main keyword today but how to move on in education by creating collaboration culture in different situations. Co-teaching is often related to collaboration and co-teaching of the organisation culture.

Advantages of co-teaching:
- If we do not collaborate, we do not experience happiness. In collaboration (co-teaching) you experience the required acknowledgement, which is not experienced when managing on your own. The human being sees his work more positively when he collaborates thanks to reciprocal reflection.
- In co-teaching no one is ever minor or less experienced, everyone is an expert on the level of his/her knowledge.
- Things start to happen when two brains unite efforts!
- Creative energy is very important and it cannot be achieved alone.

Participants’ thoughts after the workshop. We asked them to make a one-word summary. 
- Culture is creation on daily basis.
- Collaboration at home and school.
- I will continue with collaboration.
- I am motivated and will continue the process.
- Question versus question.
- Inspiration.
- Co-teaching is fun.
- Better understanding of co-teaching.
- Co-teaching – the sum of different results.
- A totally new result!

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Madli Leikop is a free-lance journalist, who mainly writes about educational themes. She has worked as a teacher, journalist on TV and radio, compiled and edited web-based texts. Madli has been in contact with adult education via the further training of teachers. Life-long learning is a well-known phenomenon to her.