Provides the participating team teachers a supportive environment
Allows for development of new teaching strategies and approaches
Exposes teachers to different styles of planning, organization, class presentation, and classroom management styles. This gives the team members an opportunity to develop and enhance their own teaching approaches and methods and allows teachers to try activities they may have never considered.
Decreases planning time which allows for more focus on subject expertise. As a result, teachers can create more rich and meaningful lessons in the subjects for which they are the lead teacher.
When team teaching involves interdisciplinary subjects, each member can gain enlightenment about lesser-known fields, and therefore grow intellectually (Goetz, 2000).
Aids in overcoming academic isolation. It is common for solo teachers to isolate themselves due to a lack of time or opportunity to interact with fellow teachers.
"Increases the likelihood of finding sound solutions regarding problematic behaviours in students. By working together, team teachers can discuss issues relating to students, such as behavioural expectations, student motivation and teaching policies, and end up with improved solutions" (Goetz, 2000).
Allows for greater control of behavioural problems or problems between students
Disadvantages of Team Teaching for Teachers:
Issues can arise if the decision to team teach is imposed rather than voluntary. More success is seen if teachers come together and mutually agree to pursue the team teaching approach and how they would like to incorporate it into their classroom(s). Teachers should develop their own boundaries and expectations with their team teacher, but this is not always the case, and often leads to an unsuccessful team.
Another disadvantage is a lack of time to learn about and implement the team teaching approach. There are limited professional development opportunities in this area, and teachers usually stray away due to an uncertainty of how to approach team teaching, or a lack of time to implement it into their classroom(s) to the best of their abilities.
If the team teachers do not establish a dynamic where they are all/ both viewed as equals, it may establish a lower level of respect for the assisting instructor.
Issues may arise that relate to inconsistency in grading, or how to deal effectively with difficult students. To avoid this, team teachers should have clear, pre-established guidelines for grading, writing tests, and dealing with student behaviour.
Advantages of Team Teaching for Students
Students will have a different teacher for different subjects, which allows for more meaningful content. It also keeps students engaged due to this change in environment and encourages a consistent routine which may be helpful for those who work well in structured environments.
Models a respectful working relationship between adults. This encourages meaningful collaboration between students.
Provides differentiation, remediation, and enrichment opportunities for students who need it
More opportunity for small group work which allows for more individualized supports and attention
Allows both instructors to provide their perspectives on a topic which encourages students to remain open-minded and to consider the views and perspectives of others
Studies show that benefits of collaborative learning include higher achievement, greater retention, improved interpersonal skills, and an increase in regard for group work for both students and teachers (Robinson & Schaible, 1995).
Disadvantages of Team Teaching for Students
"When team teaching involves two instructors teaching the same class at the same time, the inevitability of larger class sizes may be a detriment for some students, particularly students with attention deficit disorders, or students who feel uncomfortable or anonymous in large group settings" (Goetz, 2000).
"A clever student may attempt to play one teacher against the other in order to improve his/her grades. This is one of the many reasons that team teachers have to maintain a common and united front, and continually discuss the numerous team teaching issues and concerns in ongoing communication" (Goetz, 2000).
"Some students may feel frustration and discontentment about having more than one teacher. The potential for diversity and ambiguity within team teaching may prove disconcerting for some students who might become confused by more than one way of looking at issues or grading assignments. These students may be unwilling to try out new learning techniques, such as small-group work, in this different team teaching environment" (Goetz, 2000).