Lesson Plan on the Roles and Responsibilities of the Co-teacher, Madrich Teachers and Expert Teacher: Part Two

When mentoring our pre-service and in-service teachers we need to describe and model both research-based and clinically tested best practices. This is one of many lessons we will be sharing on teaching Judaic content, lesson planning, models of teaching, differentiated and individualized instruction and learning activities designed to transform the classroom into a Jewish community of cooperative learners. The title of this lesson is “The Roles and Responsibilities of the Co-Teacher, Madrich Teacher and the Expert Teacher”. Since there are 13 elements in each lesson plan we will divide this lesson plan into four parts. Here is the first part of this lesson. This is the second part of a four part lesson.

Introductory Activity: (Initial exercise to focus on the objective/learning outcome)

1. Place students into quads, cooperative groups of four. These quads are termed the home teams.

2. Assign each student in each home team a number from one to four. Accordingly, point to the students in each home team and assign each member a different number and say; “You are one, you are number two, you are number three and you are number four.” Repeat this process for all the home teams in your class; then do a check for understanding and say. ”I want all the ones in each home team to raise their hands. Now all the two’s, please raise your hands, etc.” When you are certain that each student knows her number, proceed to step three.

3. Distribute this information on cards as described below (and on the next post) to the number ones, twos, threes and fours in each home team.

Note: If your class cannot divide into teams of four members, create one team of three members, a triad. Assign one member of that triad to also read and teach the information that is assigned to quad member number four.

Instructions for Quad Member Number One

1. You will be required to teach your home teammates the definition and the responsibilities of the co-teacher.

2. Below is the information that you will be teaching your home team mates. It contains questions and answers. Your job is not to read those questions and answers to your home teammates. Your job is to take notes, put this information into your own language, and teach it to the members of your home team.

· What is a co-teacher? The co-teacher is a pre-service teaching candidate (i.e. a 12^th grader, undergraduate Hillel participant or Jewish Studies major) who studies the art and science of teaching.

· What does the co-teacher do? The co-teacher plans and teaches lessons with the mentor teacher, and reflects upon those lessons prior, during, and after a lesson is taught. Accordingly, the co-teacher and the mentor teacher may be engaged in team teaching where they alternate instructing the whole class, or they may divide the class into small learning groups which each one directs. Ultimately, the goal of co-teaching is for the co-teacher to assume many of the responsibilities of the classroom teacher.

· How do the mentor teacher and the co-teacher reflect during a lesson? Here is how that takes place. At any point during a lesson, the teacher or the co-teacher can visually signal the other for a time-out. Students then are given some engaging work to do related to the lesson while the teacher and the co-teacher briefly discuss an issue of concern. What might be an issue of concern? The co-teacher might be sharing erroneous information, or the mentor teacher may not be teaching what they had discussed prior to the lesson. Thus the mentor teacher or the co-teacher may call for a time-out.

· Here is one more point to share with your class. Students should be informed that periodically these time-outs will occur to insure that the academic needs of students, and the objectives of the teacher and co-teacher are all met.

Instructions for Quad Member Number Two

1. You will be required to teach your home teammates the definition and the responsibilities of the madrich teacher.

2. Below is the information that you will be teaching your home teammates. It contains questions and answers. Your job is not to read the questions and answers to your home teammates. Your job is to take notes, put this information into your own language, and teach it to the members of your home team.

3. What is a madrich teacher? A madrich teacher is responsible for training the madrich or madricha to perform certain administrative, interactive, and creative responsibilities, and thus to assist him or her in the classroom. The madrich teacher should have at least three years of excellent teaching performance evaluations.

What does the madrich teacher train the madrich or madricha to do?

Administrative Responsibilities (Howard, 2006)

· Setting up the classroom

· Taking attendance

· Collecting tzedakah

· Distributing supplies, books, and other materials

· Preparing snacks

· Correcting students' work

· Managing progress charts

· Preparing materials for upcoming activities

· Reorganizing the classroom at the end of the day

· Temporarily taking charge of the class if the teacher is indisposed

· Teaching a five minute mini-lesson to a small group or the entire class

· Participating in and leading portions of a prayer service

Interactive Responsibilities (Howard, 2006)

· Greeting students as they enter the classroom

· Helping students with art projects

· Assisting students with class work

· Leading students in small-group activities

· Leading transitions between activities

· Reading stories to the class

· Tutoring students who need extra help

· Mentoring students who have difficulty focusing during class

Creative Responsibilities (Howard, 2006)

· Creating bulletin boards

· Making samples for upcoming art projects

· Developing costumes, scenery, or puppets for class performances

· Reading stories to the class

· Editing student-centered newspapers

· Providing musical accompaniment to prayer service

On the next post we will share the third part of a four part lesson on the roles and responsibilities of the co-teacher, madrich and expert teacher.

· Crea