Co-teaching: two teachers – two times better learning?

Even though I am a Finn and an introvert, I have experienced the power of teamwork so many times. The benefits of working with a group with my colleagues have been clear, we have solved many students’ learning related problems together. According to sociocultural theories of learning, the social environment has an influence on an individual’s cognitive development and other people have a strong role in the learning process. Working in the zone of proximal development means that with the help of the more advanced individual, I can master the task which I could not do on my own. Teacher, parent, or peer can be that more advanced individual for example. I think that working in small groups or teamwork can at it’s best mean working in the zone of proximal development for the students. ​The optimal teamwork would happen in a group in which students support each other with different tasks. And this same is possible for teachers as well. ​With my dear colleagues, I have had a chance to work in the zone of proximal development!