Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Commercial
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 30.3; Flight Crew Total 260.2; Flight Crew Type 236.1
Situational Awareness
Conflict NMAC
Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Human Factors
On the downwind I was in a Cessna Skyhawk with a student when Tower told us to look out for traffic joining the downwind on a 45º; it being a Piper Seminole.  We had them in sight; however it appeared they were on a continuous course direct to us. Tower clearly told the Seminole they were #2 following us to land however the course they took seemed to be as if they wanted to overtake us in the pattern. When I looked over seeing them directly abeam us; off our 3 o'clock while banking right; I knew they not only were unable to see us while banking. They were extremely close; 400 feet horizontal distance being a hopeful estimate of distance at that point. I requested a short approach to land from Tower to get away from the Seminole and operate the aircraft at a safer distance away from the Seminole.
C172 Flight Instructor reported an NMAC with a PA-44 in the landing pattern.