Blog #16 Data Analysis

Data Analysis

Interview Data analysis ROUGH

Detailed statement research question:

1. What are the essential features that co-teachers need to communicate?
2. How does the planning process and communication among co-teachers affect the performance of each other and the students in the classroom?

Speakers:                                                         general notes

S- Myself                                                          values

AT- Assistant Teacher                                        leadership roles

//- pause

S- Okay, So where did you attend college?

H- Brooklyn College in Brooklyn New York

AT- I didn't

S- Okay that was my next question cause if you received, um a degree in education or if you were alternate route, so you were alternate route, or were you just…?

AT- I did ah, High School and I was done.

H- I received the um, education

S-Okay so how long have you been teaching?

H- uh, // almost 30 years… total

AT- 16

S- 16// what grades besides preschool are you familiar with? Head teacher almost doubles assistants experiences

H- 3^rd, Kindergarten, 5^th, All of  elementary

AT- 1^st and Kindergarten and pre-k

S- What schools have you taught at before this one?

H- Sunshine School House, which was a preschool in freehold, and then um schools in New York City

AT- St. Thomas the Apostle in Old Bridge, a catholic school

S- Have you always been co-teaching, or where you just a teacher by yourself, or..

H- I went, When I was in Brooklyn, I was teaching by myself in the public school. Once I went into the preschool then I was co-teaching

S- okay..
AT- I have always co-teached

S- Always co-taught…how long have you been at this school?

H- 3 years Head teacher and co-teacher both have previous experience of co-teaching

AT- 5 years

S- okay, so is this your first time in a co-taught classroom?

H- No

AT- No

S- have you learned anything or what kinds of things have you learned from co-teaching?

H- It becomes a lot easier because if you are working together and your ideas are the same, it makes it a lot easier especially with the children, you can separate activities and work in smaller groups valuing that ideas are the same

AT- I, I believe the same thing too, and it is helpful to have another mind there, you know, you are racking your brain trying to something one way, oh well look maybe you can try it this way, and maybe you never even thought it  assistant teacher agrees, elaborates on what teacher says, we see how they have the same kind of thinking- saying that difference is helpful as well, supplementing another idea

S- Did you learn anything about yourselves as teachers from co-teaching or?

//

H- Um, about myself, yeah, I guess that its um, that I can work with people with no problem and it just makes it a lot easier with planning and everything else, as long as your working with somebody else, which I am that have the same ideas and themes, and you know the way we are thinking, and the way we are handling the children, 

values the same ideas

AT- Support, yeah agrees that support is big, valuing support

S- Support is big,

AT- yeah,..

S- Can you remember a time not particularly working with each other because obviously you both co-taught before where you have had a negative experience working with another teacher or had something that didn't work out as far as your communication, or has it always been pretty good.

H- Ahh Sometimes when my co-teacher is not there, and somebody else comes into substitute…

S- Oh that is interesting, substitute…

H- yes substitute if they are not familiar with the routines and the children it becomes difficult, knowing the routines is important to H. She likes it one way

S- Oh I never thought of that

AT- That is true, um, I , you have to abide by their mindset and their job. I have, I was actually filling in for the head teacher that particular day, the woman that was with me, like no regard and just left the room. Now I gotta handle this because now you are leaving children alone, number one rule never leave your children alone. Showing expectations of what is supposed to be done in the classroom, values the routine and following the routine 

S- Right, interesting

AT- …and didn't have a problem with it. Huh, that shocked me..

S-right, well you are supposed to be there

AT- your head needs to be there

S- Was there any communication about that, or she just up and…

AT-yes, I told her, this is how we do it in here, and she just went it did it the way she wanted to we have a certain way of doing things, following H’s again valuing the routine 

S- Oh, so ignorant

AT- Upset me very much, Ah, you can come in my room and don't do nothing, that's fine, but don't leave them, nah, that's just not safe, you just..you just  never leave them alone upset here, feeling like the job is important and that is should be taken seriously, valuing its importance and how the job should be done

S- Do you, do you like being as an assistant teacher or..

AT- Oh I love it…

S- or would you rather have a different position

AT- no I love it, oh I love it as the assistant

S- What about you as the head teacher?

H- I love it, and I am very lucky to be with my co-teacher, because we work extremely well together and we have been since day one. defining the roles and how they both feel in them. 

S- Now as far as the planning, who is the sole planner of all of your lessons?

H- I basically do all the planning use of I=leadership role

S- You do all the planning..

H-Mmhm, and then I brainstorm, haha, when I’m stuck with something, haha H seems to only consult AT when planning is necessary “stuck”- roles of head teacher and assistant are clear here. Head teacher is in control, and consults the opinions of head teacher only when it is necessary. assistant knows not to step in unless asked. Roles are defined here.

S- That was my thing, how do you consider her opinions when it comes time for your planning

H- Oh, Ill tell her, I’ll, when I plan for the weeks, or the month or whatever I tell her what we are doing what I would like to do, and then if she has any new ideas or different ideas we bounce off of each other and that's what makes it work Use of "I" confirms the roles, but then the shift to "we" shows the collaboration and the two roles coming together

S- That's good, so when you are having those kinds of conversations are they in the classroom or is it kind of outside the class…

H- Basically in the classroom

S- During that time when the kinds are kind of down..

H- Yeah well, if when I you know come in, during snack during lunch, before…scheduling around her time maybe?

S- Cause I noticed a lot just from watching, you almost have an unsaid of what each other needs to do you know, I didn't see each one of you saying, “oh can you do this” “can you do that”..

H-Right,

S- like before, “Do you need glue?” Done. And it was… You don't really have to tell each other what to do..

H- Mhmm,

AT- Mhmm, yea

H- that's why ..

S- So was it always like that in the beginning or…

H- Yes I think so, immediate answer from H

S- did it, or did you, did it take a while for the two of you to get each other

H- yea, I mean it took a few weeks at the very beginning  admits now that it takes time to get to know a person

AT- yeah you have to see how they work, then we worked together and you know I am here to assist so and you know, I should be setting up things that need to be going through the day mentioning and elaborating how the assistant is supposed to be; they meaning any Head teacher.= defining the role of assistant as needing to know and executing properly what the head teacher needs.

S- Right okay, as far as classroom management you know you mentioned support before, your both always supportive of each other or is…

H- yes I believe we are

S- or is there a time where you are disagreeing

AT- no. agreement

H- no agreement

AT- There isn’t.

H- No no, You know,

S- flat out no? laughing IMPORTANT=laughter shows the comfortable relationship between the two= implies the value of valuing the friendship/relationship the two share

AT- we are on the same wavelength

H-yeah! Now using WE and talking about each other as a cohesive group= roles are equally presented here

Both laughing

S- what support do you believe should be present between co-teachers as far as the kids, the parents, the overall classroom

H- The same way of thinking in term of discipline with the children, the academics that there should be academics in the classroom because that is important, routines, structure, and open communication with the parents, they should be able to speak to any one of us because I don't see people in the morning to drop off, and then she doesn't see them at pickup, so we both have to be open with the parents, she sees them in the morning and for the most part I see them in the afternoon using WE and talking about each other as a cohesive group= suggesting that the roles are equal when it comes to parent contact 

S- That's good, how comfortable is your communication with each other, does it ever feel strained or..

H- very comfortable , nope never. Immediate response, no hesitation on how the communication is not strained in the classroom

S- How do you keep those lines of communication open are you both comfortable to just freely talk to each other 

H- Oh yeah, I think our personalities, I think head teacher mention’s personalities use of “I”= valuing her opinion before hearing co-teacher=interesting point in interview

AT- yeah I believe we are both very honest, Ive seen many a time, “well my opinion is…” grouping each other together talking about honesty and personalities, also finishing each others sentences at this point in the interview valuing honesty

H- right agreeing with what AT said

AT-just respect defining how the , “well my opinion is…” linked to respect= valuing respect 

H- very open with each other elaborating on relationship

S- so there was never a time where communication was difficult, or just keeping that honesty policy?

H- No, I don't think so, I cant think of anything…

AT- No…

H- Even if we are talking about things that aren’t related to the school, you know because we do, you know we are friends, laughing the term friends gives their communication a whole new dynamic. Now the communication strays from among co-teachers to among friends use of we to define their friendship

S- Do you use any form of non-verbal communication?

All laughing

H- Um, maybe eye contact once in a while,

AT- Yes, the eye contact eye contact is mentioned as nonverbal communication, but in a joking manner, insinuating funny experiences, or jokes between the two. Again showing the comfortable nature between the two. Also showing the trust in each other to make jokes and understand what the other is thinking without speaking. valuing the nonverbal communication 

Both laughing

AT- I would agree that would be the next that we can understand clarifies the value/understanding of each other’s non-verbal moves

S- do you feel that you are able to read each other’s body language?

H- absolutely,

AT- Mhmm Yep

S- know what the other one

H- Absolutely both in agreement before the statement is done

AT- yes, no hesitation seen from either party

S-Okay good,  thank you

Observation Data analysis ROUGH

For the purpose of this analysis, Head Teacher will be noted as H, and the assistant teacher will be noted as A.

    H begins the class by leading them in their circle time activities. These activities include doing the pledge of allegiance, the calendar, the weather, and the theme of the day. While this was happening A was not involved in the class dynamic, rather, A was involved in preparing for the next activity which was morning snack time.

H begins the class by leading them in their circle time activities. These activities include doing the pledge of allegiance, the calendar, the weather, and the theme of the day. While this was happening A was not involved in the class dynamic, rather, A was involved in preparing for the next activity which was morning snack time. As the children sat down to begin eating both teachers assisted the students as necessary without direction. The students receive "Daily" sheets that explain what they participate in and what they eat for lunch and how long they nap for. The Dailies are filled out with all the activities by the head teacher prior, but the assistant teacher is who updates them based on the students performance that day. 

     At this point the students were engaged in their morning play time with was following their circle time activities. During this time both teachers were engaging in addressing behavioral issues that some students were exhibiting. What was interesting that each teacher was responding to whatever teachers name a child said. Neither one neglected a child if they said the wrong name or just outwardly addressed a teacher. Both were equally there ready to respond to the students. During this time the teachers were talking about a particular students progress in the class. They were talking and communication very well about previous conversations they have both had with that parent, and and how they are both planning to work with this child. The conversation was equal between both parts. Both were listening to one another and comparing thoughts both about the child's work and the parent response. 

    Finally this time, morning play was over and the children were ready for their snack. The head teacher took them outside to wash their hands while the assistant waited inside and sat the children down as they came in and got them ready to eat. This included helping them open their snacks and encouraging them to try to open some of their packages. When the head teacher returned with the few remaining children she too jumped right into getting the children settled. Now each teacher was at one table watching the children and making sure they didn't make a mess. Following the snack time, academic work and projects followed. The assistant teacher cleaned the tables while the head teacher began gathering the worksheets for the day. The head teacher distributed the worksheets and the markers