education Co-teaching working well at Bethel Middle School

By BY CAROL ROLF Staff Writer

Photo by Carol Rolf / Staff Photographer

Jennifer Francis, left, helps Haylee Fleming while Carol Baber, third from left, helps Isabelle Schalchlan as they learn about the importance of paragraphs in writing. Francis and Baber co-teach in an eighth-grade English class at Bethel Middle School in Bryant.

ADVERSTISMENT

TRI-LAKES AREA — Working side-by-side in the classroom, Carol Baber and Jennifer Francis are co-teachers at Bethel Middle School in Bryant. They have a blended class, one composed of special-needs students and those who may not need any extra help.

"We're in year two of school improvement for our special needs population," Principal Joe Fisher said. "In an effort to better meet the needs of these students, last year we began placing two certified adults in classroom as teachers.

"Ms. Baber and Ms. Francis are true co-teachers," Fisher said. "When I walk into their classroom, I cannot tell which are special needs students and which are not.

"It's almost like having twins in the classroom - two for the price of one." Fisher said since the pilot program began last year, "there have been some gains and scores of the special needs students continue to improve." The principal said students with special needs "continue to know more, read better."Baber and Francis teach eighth-grade English in their blended class.

"It's a wonderful class," said Francis, who has been a teacher at Bethel for three of her five years in education. "We love it. Ms. Baber is able to bring her special needs students into a regular classroom, put them together with other students and help them become successful in the regular classroom.

"Carol and I know who needs extra help, but no one else knows." Francis added that there are other co-teachers at Bethel Middle School, "only in the eighth grade and in every core subject."

Baber is in her 28th year in education, the last 11 years at Bethel Middle School.

"This is great," she said of the co-teaching program.

"We've seen the Benchmark scores go up.

"From my standpoint, the [special-needs] students' selfesteem is better. Over the past two years, I can see that this is helping the students a lot.

The kids help each other, and that is great." - crolf@arkansasonline.com

Tri-Lakes, Pages 64 on 09/24/2009