How do I add a co-teacher to my class or join a class as a co-teacher?

There are five types of classes on CommonLit, which means there are five ways to add a co-teacher, aide, specialist, or secondary teacher to them.


  1. Manual Class: Join Class As Co-Teacher with a class code
  2. Google Classroom class: Sync the class OR Join Class as Co-Teacher with a class code
  3. Clever: Automatic syncing
  4. ClassLink: Automatic syncing
  5. Canvas: Sync the class OR Join Class as Co-Teacher with a class code

Manually Created Classes


For Primary Teachers/Class Owners:


If you created a class manually, the class has a class code. Your co-teacher may use that class code to request to join your class.


  • You can send them an invite from your Manage Classes page.
  • Find the class, click Options > Manage Co-Teachers, add their CommonLit account email to the Invite Co-Teachers field, and click Update.


  • CommonLit will send them the directions to join your class! Be on the lookout for their request in your Notifications bell or on your Manage Classes page. When you receive the request, click the Accept button.


For Secondary Teachers:


  • If the class already exists, you can request to join it from your Manage Classes page.
  • Click Join Class as Co-Teacher and enter the class code for the class you wish to join.
  • Then wait for your co-teacher to accept your request! (CommonLit will send them a notification, but you can always give them a heads up.)



Google Classroom Classes


There are two ways to add a co-teacher to your Google Classroom class: 


  1. Sync the class
  2. Instruct them to use the Join Class as Co-Teacher button with your class code 

Option 1: Sync the Class


For Primary Teachers/Class Owners:


Whoever first imports a Google Classroom class to CommonLit is the owner (even if they are not the "owner" in Google Classroom). However, they can easily add any co-teachers to the class.


  • Go to the Manage Classes page
  • Click the SYNC button for the class
  • Refresh the page to see if the co-teacher was added automatically


Didn't see your co-teacher appear? 


  • Here's what probably went wrong: Your co-teacher has not connected their account to Google Classroom. To do this, have them go to Manage Classes > Create a New Class > Import from Google Classroom. The site will prompt them to connect to a Google account. Once they've done that, they can stop the import process at that point and you can sync again.


For Secondary Teachers:


For sync to operate, make sure you connect your account to Google Classroom. You can do this by beginning the Google Classroom import process. You don't need to actually import the class, and can instead stop the import process once you see a class list.


If another teacher has already imported the class and you try to import it, you may get an error message that "one or more of your classes may have already been imported." This means the current class owner needs to sync the class to add you as a co-teacher, so please reach out to them and ask them to do so. Once they sync the class, it will be automatically added to your Manage Classes page.


If some of the classes you try to import are co-taught but others are not, try importing them one at a time. You will be able to import any classes that are not already imported by a co-teacher.


More troubleshooting here: How do I add a co-teacher to my Google Classroom class in CommonLit?


Option 2: Join Class as Co-Teacher with a class code


If the sync process does not work (likely because the co-teacher has not connected to Google Classroom or joined your school), then the secondary teacher can follow the same steps listed above to join a class as a co-teacher with the class code. 


Clever Classes


There are two ways to add a co-teacher to your Clever class: 


  1. Allow them to be synced automatically by Clever
  2. Instruct them to use the Join Class as Co-Teacher button with your class code

Note: Only primary teachers can import classes from Clever. If a Clever class's primary teacher does not opt in to import classes from Clever, the secondary teacher(s) will not be able to import them from Clever.


Option 1: Automatic Clever Co-Teachers


CommonLit automatically updates students and co-teachers to match Clever rosters. 


If both co-teachers have a CommonLit account linked to Clever, they will automatically be enrolled as co-teachers of one another's rosters.


If your co-teacher is listed in Clever, is being shared with CommonLit, and is still not appearing as a co-teacher on your CommonLit class, check that your co-teacher has connected their CommonLit account to Clever. Teachers using our free integration must opt into rostering with Clever. Partner teachers should have their accounts created automatically at the start of the year.


Option 2: Join Class as Co-Teacher with a class code


If co-teachers are not listed in your Clever class or are not shared with CommonLit, they can still join a Clever-controlled class in CommonLit manually using the class code. 


For Primary Teachers/Class Owners:


If you are the owner of a Clever-managed class, you can provide your co-teacher with your class code. Your co-teacher will use that class code to request to join your class.


  • You can send them an invite from your Manage Classes page.
  • Click Options > Manage Co-Teachers, add their CommonLit account email to the Invite Co-Teachers field, and click Update.


  • Alternatively, you can click Options > Manage Co-teachers, and provide your teacher with your class code. Note: Students will not be able to join your roster using this class code.
  • CommonLit will send your teacher the directions via email. Be on the lookout for their request in your notifications or on your Manage Classes page. When you get it, Accept their request. 

 


For Secondary Teachers:


  • You can request to join a Clever roster from your Manage Classes page.
  • Click Join Class as Co-Teacher and enter the class code for the Clever class you wish to join.
  • Then wait for your co-teacher to accept. (CommonLit will send them some notifications, but you can always give them a heads up when you talk to them next.)



ClassLink Classes


There are 2 ways to add a co-teacher to your ClassLink class: 


  1. Allow them to be synced automatically by ClassLink
  2. Instruct them to Join Class as Co-Teacher with a class code 

Option 1: Automatic ClassLink Co-Teachers


CommonLit automatically updates students and co-teachers to match ClassLink rosters. 


If a teacher has a CommonLit account imported from ClassLink and they are shared as a co-teacher in a ClassLink class, CommonLit will automatically add that teacher as a co-teacher to the imported ClassLink class.


Option 2: Join Class as Co-Teacher with a class code


If co-teachers are not listed in your ClassLink class or are not shared with CommonLit, they can still join a ClassLink-controlled class in CommonLit manually.


For Primary Teachers/Class Owners:


If you are the owner of a ClassLink-managed class, you can provide your co-teacher with your class code. Your co-teacher will use that class code to request to join your class.


  • You can send them an invite from your Manage Classes page.
  • Click Options > Manage Co-Teachers, add their CommonLit account email to the Invite Co-Teachers field, and click Update. 


  • Alternatively, you can click Options > Manage Co-teachers, and provide your teacher with your class code. Note: Students will not be able to join your roster using this class code.
  • CommonLit will send them the directions to join your class! Be on the lookout for their request in your Notifications bell or on your Manage Classes page. When you receive the request, click the Accept button.

For Secondary Teachers:


  • You can request to join a ClassLink roster from your Manage Classes page.
  • Click Join Class as Co-Teacher and enter the class code for the ClassLink class you wish to join.
  • Then wait for your co-teacher to accept. (CommonLit will send them some notifications, but you can always give them a heads up when you talk to them next.)



Canvas Classes


There are two ways to add a co-teacher to your Canvas class: 


  1. Sync your Canvas class
  2. Instruct them to Join Class as Co-Teacher with a class code 

Option 1: Sync the Class


In order to add a co-teacher to a Canvas-linked class:


  • Both teachers must have CommonLit teacher accounts connected to Canvas.
  • Your co-teacher must be shared as a Teacher or TA on Canvas.
  • Both teachers must be enrolled in the same official U.S. public or private school record in CommonLit.
  • The class must be enrolled in that same school record.

If your CommonLit class is imported from Canvas, here's the order of events that needs to happen to add a co-teacher to that class:


  1. Teacher A (ideally the class owner) ensures Teacher B (the secondary teacher) is enrolled as a teacher or TA on Canvas. (Note: CommonLit will not add users with both student and teacher or TA roles as co-teachers.)
  2. Teacher A imports the class from Canvas.
  3. Teacher B creates their CommonLit account, if it doesn't already exist, and connects it to Canvas by going to their Canvas course, creating a new Canvas assignment, and selecting CommonLit as an external tool under Submission Type.
  4. Teacher A and Teacher B make sure they are both enrolled in the same official U.S. public or private school record (My Account > Schools), and that the class is also enrolled in that school with access to Canvas. 
  5. Teacher A syncs the class from the Manage Classes page.

Assuming the class and teachers are in the same school and the secondary teacher has linked to their account to Canvas, the secondary teacher should be automatically added to the class.




Option 2: Join Class as Co-Teacher with a class code


Teachers who aren't shared by Canvas can also join a Canvas class using the class code.


If you are the primary teacher of a class, you can find your class code by clicking Options > Manage Co-teachers next to your Canvas class.



Invite your co-teachers via email or send them your class code.



Instruct them to go to their Manage Classes page and click the Join Class as Co-Teacher button. Then, have them enter your class code.



This will send a request to your Manage Classes page for you to approve their request. Once you approve it, they can access the class as a co-teacher.


 


Did you receive an error message when joining a class as a co-teacher with a class code? 


  • You must be in the same official school as the class to request to join it. If the error message says you are not enrolled in the right school, go to your My Account page and join the school that the class belongs to. If you are in the wrong school currently, you can switch schools. If you are in multiple schools, you can add an additional school. 
  • CommonLit does not allow you to join a class that is linked to an unofficial or non-U.S. school. Have the class owner send an email to help@commonlit.org if they need help transferring their class into an official school.

Interested in integrating CommonLit with ClassLink, Clever, or Canvas at your school? Check out School Essentials PRO to save time and get set up quickly. Learn more about CommonLit integrations here.

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