8 with 8

This week we wind down our season of co-teaching chronicles, exploring the myriad types of partnerships and collaborations that can best support students with and without disabilities in the general education setting. Tracy and Mike talk to two of Kent City Schools’ co-teachers from Stanton Middle School in Kent Ohio, which is a 6th through 8th grade building. The two teams we meet today are Ashley Ford, Intervention Specialist, and Kimberley White, 6th grade English Language Arts teacher. They describe their partnership as a beautiful friendship verging on sisterhood, and once again, we get to hear how these partners lean into their personal strengths and skill sets in order to maximize impact for all students, using a variety of different teaching strategies. There is no “one size fits all” going on here - which requires a lot of work but helps students get what they need.

Co-Hosts: Mike Kaschak and Tracy Mail, SST8 Educational Consultants

Co-Hosts: Mike Kaschak and Tracy Mail, SST8 Educational Consultants

In this episode we meet Jamie Lormeau, former building principal with Cloverleaf Local Schools in Medina. She shares her personal experience with us and a principal's "recipe" for successfully implementing co-teaching as a building leader. Many of the "ingredients" she shares will sound familiar to those who are familiar with the work of Gately and Gately. With any great recipe not only are the ingredients important but how you prepare the recipe is important too. Jamie shares with us the structures and the systemic pieces needed for a successful co-teaching implementation as well.

Co-Hosts: Tracy Mail and Mike Kaschak, SST8 Educational Consultants

In this episode we meet Amber Smith & Paula Funfgeld - a co-teaching team at Cloverleaf Elementary School in Medina County. They are joined by building principal Karen Martin. This team, and their fearless leader, share with our listeners their journey in co-teaching, and how they leverage each others’ strengths. One of the best compliments to co-teachers is when a classroom visitor can’t tell who is the general educator and who is the special educator, because this shows a true integration of their roles. Paula and Amber are a great example of this!

Co-Hosts: Mike Kaschak and Tracy Mail, SST8 Educational Consultants

Medina High School's award-winning co-teaching team has been recognized by the district for the great work they are doing. Anne Fortney and Kelly Miller are the the two stars of the this dynamic duo, sometimes referred to by their colleagues as the Wonder Twins. They share with us what their superpowers look like in the co-taught classroom. They are joined by Ronda French, Medina City Schools' Assistant Director of Pupil Services and Katie Hartung Coordinator of Special Education.

SST8 Co-Hosts: Mike Kaschak and Tracy Mail, Educational Consultants

Co-Hosts: Tracy Mail and Mike Kaschak, SST8 Educational Consultants

SST8 has been doing a lot of work to support co-teachers over the past two years, and we have met some incredible educators with great stories and insights into co-teaching. Today's episode features Towpath Trail High School, a dropout recovery and prevention community school located in Akron. Their team is creative and dedicated bunch that go above and beyond to meet their students’ where they are at and then help them get to where they need to be. Listen and learn how, despite the challenges they face, students at Towpath Trail get that “warm cookie straight out of the oven” feeling.

SST8 Co-Hosts: Tracy Mail and Mike Kaschak, Educational Consultants

Welcome to the 9th season of the 8 with 8 podcast: The Co-Teaching Chronicles. The big idea behind co-teaching is that when general and special educators pair up to co-plan, co-instruct, and co-assess their students, it should provide instruction and support that is substantively better than what each teacher could provide on their own. But, like many collaborative endeavors, co-teaching is HARD to do well. So SST8 has been working like crazy over the last two years to create a range of supports for co-teachers in our region. In doing so, we have met dozens of teachers and leaders throughout our region with inspiring stories and unique angles on the art and science of co-teaching. In this season of 8 with 8, you’ll hear from teachers in a variety of settings and circumstances - from traditional districts to community schools to career centers - and across all grade levels. Regardless of what role and position in education YOU listen from, we’re confident that this season will bring you stories that ring true and ideas that will inspire. 

So get ready for a new season of 8 with 8 - The Co-Teaching Chronicles - coming to Anchor and all other podcast platforms on Friday, December 1. See you soon!

SST8 Online Co-Teaching Resources:

The Why of Co-Teaching (video | 28 min)

The What of Co-Teaching  (video | 24 min)

The How of Co-Teaching, Step 1  (video | 27 min)

The How of Co-Teaching, Step 2  (video | 12 min)

The How of Co-Teaching, Step 3  (video | 12 min)

The How of Co-Teaching, Step 4  (video | 14 min)

As we wrap up this season’s exploration of the essential questions we should ALL be asking about special education, based on Ohio’s Special Education Profile, we have a great conversation for you with one of our favorite colleagues at the Ohio Department of Education, Amy Szymanski. Amy is the Secondary Transition and Workforce Development Consultant in the Office for Exceptional Children. In the decade-plus that we’ve known Amy, she has always been a tireless advocate for students with disabilities - with a particular focus on what we can all do to help SWD be more likely to transition successfully into the workforce, post-secondary education, or the military. Join us as we discuss with Amy the increased focus on graduation in Ohio - what has brought that on, what the research suggests we should be looking at, and Ohio’s big plans for helping districts close the graduation gap for students with disabilities.

Co-Hosts: Helen Brophy, SST8 Educational Consultant, and Stacia Kaschak, SST7-8 Career-Technical Education Consultant

About our Guest: Amy Szymanski, Workforce Development Consultant in the Ohio Department of Education Office for Exceptional Children

Additional Resources

Ohio High School Graduation Requirements: Class of 2023 and Beyond (PDF flier)

Ohio's Each Child on Track Project Overview (website)