Collaborate With Anybody!
As I was leaving my co-planning time today, I turned to my co-teacher and said something to the effect of “I love our co-planning period”. And I truly do, too. We are not only highly productive but we have transforming conversations that change the way we teach on a daily basis. The interesting thing is that we aren’t like minded in most areas. My principal refers to us as the educational odd couple. Many people argue that in order to collaborate two people have to have the same views about teaching. I think it is something different that makes a teaching relationship work.
My co-teacher and I couldn’t be more different. I was a mediocre student throughout elementary and high school; disillusioned by my public education experience. In high school, my priority was socializing and school seemed to be a rote chore. My grades were so mediocre in high school that I didn’t get accepted into college and had to take the alternative community college route (which I don’t regret at all). It took me six years and learning new things never came easily. I got into teaching because I believed that all students deserve a meaningful educational experience. I wasn’t really all that great at any subject but I sort of understood how learning worked because it didn’t come easily to me, so I became a special educator.
My co-teacher on the other hand was the valedictorian of his high school and college classes. He is quick with words and wit. He reads about 8 books a week (maybe a little less since the four kids). He could have been a teacher of practically any subject. I don’t want to say he became a teacher because learning came easily for him because that isn’t the story he would tell but it definitely makes his perspective drastically different than mine. Not only did we get into this profession with different backgrounds, our comfort level with various methods is drastically different as well. He can lecture while I’m all about facilitation. He has a permissive style of classroom management while I am more democratic. I mean the list is pretty long. So how has this worked so well for twelve years?
Be Persistent
First of all, it is important for me to remember that this relationship didn’t develop overnight. And we still have issues we need to work on. The year I was hired, the administration implemented an initiative that required grade level English and history teachers to use common planning time to implement a modified version of co-teaching to support struggling students. We were afforded common planning time at each grade level. Most people didn’t use their planning time or it deteriorated very quickly and that would have happened with us too except I kept faithfully showing up. I continue to show up faithfully. I consider this time sacred and do not let my other duties get in the way or take over my common prep.
Don’t try to win
I came into this job with the idea that I was going to help students access general education materials and I was going to push for the kind of education that I would have wanted to experience. I was also coming in with some background in collaboration. My mindset was that I might not always get what I want and my goal wasn’t to win.
Be Honest But Not Emotional
I was honest but realistic. I nonchalantly brought up issues that I thought were problematic for students and tried to make my cases as objectively as possible with no expectations that change would happen. My intention was to get my teaching partners to question themselves not to get them to do what I wanted. Some battles were easy and some took longer. Many changes have been long lasting even if they took a while to implement. And there are still some things that I would like to change but my co-teacher is attached to. I don’t give up when I don’t get my way. I push my partner every day since I can always see a better outcome (not that things are bad but they are never ideal).
Don’t Take Yourself Too Seriously
My co-teacher has had to be self-reflective. He has to have a thick skin and not take things personally. He has to be willing to try new things even when it is uncomfortable. He has to be willing to do things differently every year. He has to be honest with me when we don’t agree. He has had to live with my constant reminder that the only thing we really have control over is our own actions. I never let him off the hook so he can never slack off. It would be a lot easier for both of us if we didn’t plan together, but I embrace the challenge. Neither of us would learn as much as we do if we spent our common planning time doing paperwork and grading papers.
Have a Common Goal
The standard strategies for making these formal or contrived relationships work don’t really come into play all that much. We don’t come to our planning meetings with an agenda and we don’t follow any formal norms. We both have a vision of students enjoying and discussing books and the bigger ideas that come from reading. We both want kids to enjoy what we do in class and be engaged. This goal is simple. We are committed to making our planning time meaningful and we both believe that our time spent planning impacts student learning and engagement. That commitment has developed over time. It started with me and now I think we are both committed. An agenda might help us use our time slightly more efficiently but that is not what makes out co-teaching partnership work.
It requires persistence, honesty, flexibility, a willingness to take risks and disagree, and a lot of work and frustration at times. So if you struggle with a partnership or have one that could use strengthening remember that it will improve student experiences. If you need to be a little uncomfortable in order for that to happen, it will be worth it. Be persistent. Don’t try to win. Be honest. Loosen up. Identify a common goal. Remember that change is hard for all of us. Check out my review of Getting past no, by William Ury who also influenced my ability to work with just about anybody.