Using Co-Teaching

Using Co-Teaching

Overview

Co-teaching allows multiple instructors to monitor and manage the same class and students at the same time.

You can add instructors to a class so that teachers, paraprofessionals, classroom aides, substitute teachers, administrators, SpEd teachers or other staff members can work with the same students.

Co-teachers can use classroom management features such as viewing students, limiting websites, blanking screens, pushing websites, taking snapshots, and communicating with students.

Example: A teacher can add a classroom aide or school administrator as a co-teacher so they can monitor the same students during an active class.

AlertImportant: Each instructor must have an activated LanSchool Air account before they can be added as a co-teacher.

Add a Co-Teacher to a Class

  1. Log in to LanSchool Air.

  2. On the My Classes page, locate the class.
  3. Select the Instructors icon on the class card.




  4. Under Classroom Settings, select Instructors.



  5. Search for the instructor by name or email address.


  6. Select Add Instructor.
  7. Select Done.

The added instructor will see the class on their My Classes page.

You can add up to 20 instructors to one class.

How Co-Teachers Join a Class

A co-teacher does not need to join the class at the same time as the lead instructor.

Once a co-teacher has been added:

  • The class appears on the co-teacher's My Classes page.
  • The co-teacher can start or join the class at any time.
  • If another instructor has already started the class, the co-teacher will see the class as Active.
  • The class card displays the instructors who are currently active in the class.

Multiple instructors can therefore monitor and manage the same class during the same class session.

What Can Co-Teachers Do?

Co-teachers can use the classroom management features available to the class, including:

  • Monitor student devices
  • Push websites to students
  • Limit or un-limit websites
  • Blank or un-blank student screens
  • Take snapshots
  • Share the instructor's screen with students
  • Chat with the entire class
  • Chat with individual students
  • Adjust their classroom view

Each instructor can change their own classroom view without changing the view used by other instructors.

Important: Classroom Actions

When multiple instructors are managing the same class, the most recent action takes precedence.

For example, if one instructor blanks the student screens and another co-teacher un-blanks them, the students' screens will be un-blanked.

Student and Classroom Chat

Multiple instructors can receive messages from students and communicate with the class.

Co-teachers can also send individual messages to students. Other instructors in the class can view those individual student chats.

Co-teachers cannot chat directly with other co-teachers through LanSchool Air.

What Can Co-Teachers Change?

Co-teachers can edit several classroom settings, including:

  • Add or remove students from the class
  • Add or remove instructors
  • Add or remove websites from web-limiting lists
  • Change the web-limiting list used by the class
  • Edit the blank-screen message

Lead Instructor Permissions

For a manually created class, the instructor who creates the class is the lead instructor.

Only the lead instructor can:

  • Change the class name
  • Delete the class

Co-teachers cannot remove the lead instructor from the class.

Co-Teaching With Imported Classes

Co-teaching can also be used with classes imported through a supported roster integration.

Depending on your organization's roster configuration, classes may be imported through Google Classroom, Clever, ClassLink, or CSV Import.

For imported classes:

  • Teachers and co-teachers provided by the roster integration may be automatically associated with the class.
  • Additional co-teachers can be added through Classroom Settings.
  • Instructors or co-teachers provided by the roster integration cannot be removed directly from LanSchool Air; changes must be made in the source roster system when applicable.

See the documentation for your organization's roster integration for more information.

School Administrators and Co-Teaching

School administrators can use co-teaching to monitor and manage a teacher's class.

A school administrator must be added as an instructor/co-teacher to the class before they can monitor the students in that class.

If an administrator does not have their own rostered class, they can be added as a co-teacher to an existing class. This allows the administrator to access and manage the students in that class.

Leave or End a Class

When multiple instructors are active in a class, each instructor can choose whether to leave the class or end it.

If a co-teacher needs to leave while another instructor is still teaching:

  1. Select the option to Leave Class.
  2. The co-teacher leaves without ending the class for the other active instructor.

If the instructor intends to end the class for everyone, select the option to End Class.



Frequently Asked Questions

How do I set up co-instructors so multiple instructors can monitor the same class?

Add the instructors to the class from Classroom Settings > Instructors.

  1. Open the class.
  2. Select Instructors.
  3. Search for the instructor by name or email address.
  4. Select Add Instructor.
  5. Select Done.

The added instructor will see the class on their My Classes page and can join or start the class. Multiple instructors can monitor and manage the same students at the same time.

Can multiple teachers monitor the same class at the same time?

Yes. Add the teachers as co-teachers to the same class. Each instructor can join the active class and monitor and manage the same students.

Can a school administrator monitor a teacher's class?

Yes. A school administrator can monitor a teacher's class after being added to the class as a co-teacher.

Can a co-teacher start a class?

Yes. A co-teacher can start or join the class at any time. The original instructor does not have to be present for the co-teacher to join the class.

Does a co-teacher have to join the class when the lead teacher starts it?

No. A co-teacher can join the class later. If the class is already active, it will appear as Active on the co-teacher's My Classes page.

Can co-teachers monitor the same students?

Yes. Co-teaching allows multiple instructors to monitor and manage the same students in the same class.

Can co-teachers use classroom management features?

Yes. Co-teachers can use available classroom management features such as monitoring students, limiting websites, blanking screens, pushing websites, taking snapshots, sharing their screen, and chatting with students.

Can a co-teacher add another instructor?

Yes. Co-teachers can add or remove instructors from the class, except for the lead instructor.

Can a co-teacher remove the lead instructor?

No. The lead instructor cannot be removed by a co-teacher.

Can a co-teacher change the class name?

No. Only the lead instructor can change the name of a manually created class.

Can a co-teacher delete a class?

No. Only the lead instructor can delete a manually created class.

Can co-teachers communicate with each other?

No. Co-teachers cannot directly chat with other co-teachers through LanSchool Air. However, instructors can communicate with the class and with individual students.

What happens if two instructors use different classroom controls?

The most recent action takes precedence. For example, if one instructor blanks student screens and another instructor un-blanks them, the screens will be un-blanked.

Can an administrator monitor students without having their own class?

Yes. An administrator can be added as a co-teacher to an existing class. They can then access and manage the students in that class.

How many instructors can be added to a class?

Up to 20 instructors can be added to one class.

Can I add a co-teacher who does not have a LanSchool Air account?

No. The instructor must have an activated LanSchool Air account before they can be added to a class.

Can co-teaching be used with Clever classes?

Yes. Co-teaching can be used with Clever-imported classes. Additional instructors can be added to an imported class through Classroom Settings.

Can a teacher who does not have a Clever class monitor students?

Yes. A teacher who does not have a Clever-rostered class can be added as a co-teacher to another teacher's class. The teacher can then access and manage the students in that class.

Can a co-teacher remotely control a student's computer?

No. LanSchool Air does not support remote control or taking over a student's computer. Co-teaching allows instructors to monitor and manage students using LanSchool Air's classroom management features, but instructors cannot remotely control a student's mouse, keyboard, or computer.

Why can't my teacher find my email address when trying to add me as a co-teacher?

If a teacher is trying to add you as a co-teacher but your name or email address does not appear when they search under Instructors, you must have an activated LanSchool Air instructor account before you can be added to the class.

This applies to paraprofessionals, classroom aides, teaching assistants, substitute teachers, and other school staff who need access to a teacher's class.

  1. Ask your LanSchool Air Site Admin to verify that you have a LanSchool Air instructor account.
  2. Make sure your instructor account has been activated.
  3. Confirm that the teacher is searching for the name or email address associated with your LanSchool Air account.
  4. After your account is activated, have the teacher search for you again under Classroom Settings > Instructors.
  5. The teacher can then select your account and add you to the class.

If you already have an activated LanSchool Air instructor account and your name or email still does not appear when the teacher searches under Instructors, contact your LanSchool Air Site Admin or LanSchool Support for assistance.

How can a paraprofessional get access to a teacher's class?

A paraprofessional, classroom aides, substitute teachers, administrators, SpEd teachers or other staff members must have an activated LanSchool Air instructor account before a teacher can add them as a co-teacher.

After the account is activated, the teacher can add the paraprofessional from Classroom Settings > Instructors by searching for the paraprofessional's name or email address.

If the paraprofessional does not appear in the instructor search, the LanSchool Air Site Admin should verify that the paraprofessional has an activated instructor account.