team teaching

[Miss C]

Hi Everybody~
I currently teach self-contained 6th grade in a small Christian school. My very good friend who teaches 5th is leaving next year, and her replacement isn't really my favorite person. Anyway, the replacement came to me this morning to let me know that she will be teaching 5th next year, and then asked if I was interested in team teaching. She said that she had asked the principal about it and he said she could ask me and that it was up to us. The principal is out of town for three weeks and not really accessible (he's in Africa).
Anyway, I team taught a few years ago, and I really hated it. Besides that, she wants to teach 5th/6th math, science, and social studies. Math isn't my favorite thing, but I really love science and social studies. Besides that, it would mean that I would be teaching 5th/6th Language Arts and Bible. Bible I love, but Language is not my favorite thing. Our curriculum has LOTS of emphasis on grammar, and it's really kind of boring. I don't want to be the boring teacher.
At any rate, I really don't want to do this, but I hate telling people no. I mean, really hate it. I guess I don't really need advice or anything. I just needed to get this off my chest. I'm kind of a little upset at the principal. He never told me that this lady was replacing my friend, which would have been fine, had he not told her to ask me about team teaching. I think that should have been handled differently.
Anyway, I'm feeling like griping. Thanks for listening!

 

[musicbug]

Don't "nice" your self into a position

that would make you unhappy. Would you be willing to let her take the science if she also takes Language Arts, or each of you takes your own language arts and she teaches science and you get social studies? If you both use your strengths, both classes will be blessed. Or just explain that you are dying to try some new behavior program that requires you to keep your gropup all day. You could always say, I'm sorry I don't think that it is in the kids best interest. Hang in Miss C.

 

[SC]

Team Teaching

I have taught 6th grade with another teacher, and now I teach in a self-contained 4th grade class. I liked team teaching because I taught the subjects that were my strength, and so did the other teacher. We also go along very well. If there is no compromise with what you can teach as a team, then I would tell her you'd prefer not to. Don't feel guilty, or else you'll guilt yourself into doing something that would make you unhappy all of next year.