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Home : 2001 : September : 2

Teams
By prefer anonymous

Charley, I taught for many years in a school where the teachers shut their doors and each teacher did their own thing/planning/etc. Several years ago I transferred to a school where the teachers planned together. It was
difficult for me although I respected all of the teachers on the team and felt that they were all very good teachers.
Basically what we did was plan according to our state's required curriculum, what we would do that week, we ran off any papers that would be used grade level wise, we checked out supplies from the media center, scheduled Videos etc. but then each teacher wrote them

into her own plans her own way. that group worked very well together.
Now I have changed grade level and this group does not plan as well together, we meet and we discuss what we will cover, but within the group we have two "takers" who are not "sharers", if that makes sense..They just sit and wait for the others to spoon feed them and give them everything without their making an effort to bring anything to the planning. Two basically stay after school and run papers for the rest,work overtime in the summer and take care of what should be grade level activities (leveling grade level books etc.) The two who have put in many,many extra hours are very ready to WEAN the others...There is tension. You cannot always get eveything that needs to be done during regular school hours, but if each one would chip in it would not be a load. I understand your feeling! One of the moochers in our group is best friends with one of our Admin...soooooo there you go.
I guess what I am saying is your problem is not just there ,it is human nature in other places too. All groups will not flow! Let that loner go.. Some people are just natured that way.
OR she may be so unsure of herself that she feels she cannot live up to the group expectations and by planning alone, she will not have to.
Personally, I am planning to work with and share with the team members who work and share...and WEAN the one (yup, in the age frame mentioned in a previous post) who whines and leaves all the extras for others to do.
These five teachers have various experience levels, 34+,3,6,16,30+...should have a wide range of experiences to share from both new and old schools, but....??????? Wanna guess who puts in the extra hours...????? You might be wrong!
Guess I am venting Too!!! Better here than exploding all over a grade level meeting though and I very nearly did this week. Thanks for listening(reading)!