Co-Teaching

In the course, Curriculum & Instruction 704: Curriculum Planning, I examined the histories and philosophies in secondary education in the United States and how they influence education today. A major assignment was to teach a full class in a small group. The theme of the class and readings assigned were chosen by the professor and we planned and taught the two-and-a-half-hour seminar. Our group was assigned, What is a Child? Theories of Human Development, Planning, and Evaluation. We drew upon the previous class content and wrote about the curriculum philosophies and theories of truth we utilized, learning objectives, and evaluation methods.

Readings for this class explored the creation of adolescence to justify whiteness, how eugenics relates to adolescence and childhood, and how children are taught about place. We utilized small and large group discussions, lectures, videos, and a hands-on activity. To open class, we discussed historical events and phenomena related to our topic like the Indiana State Fair Better Baby Contests and Drs. Kenneth and Mamie Clark’s Doll Test. We asked students to make connections between these events and their assigned readings. Next, we gave students questions to discuss in small groups and then invited students to share their findings with the rest of the class. I lectured on cultural events related to the topic like the 1983 World’s Columbian Exposition and Couple in the Cage: Guatinaui Odyssey by Coco Fusco and Paula Heredia (1992). We ended class by visiting the Cooperative Children’s Book Center and instructed students to choose a book, share a synopsis with the class, and discuss what is being taught about gender, place, race, and nation.  

By co-teaching this class I planned and prepared a lesson plan, managed time, and controlled a room in collaboration with another instructor. I considered how to balance passive and active learning experiences and small and large group activities during an extended period. I enjoyed collaborating with another instructor and applying our unique life experiences to the class content.