sharing

Home

Chat

Blogs

Collection

Directory

Home : 2001 : September : 3

sharing
By SGS

Hi there! I love to share, but I feel I've been "stung" a few times in the process. I think it's not the idea of sharing that is complicated, but the people with whom we share. I'm fortunate to be working with very gracious
people. We seem to all realize and accept each others' strengths. The only thing I really hate is when I'm being patronized. Sometimes my fellow teacher's appreciation sounds like they are making fun of me because of the time I commit to school.
On a related topic, here's how I've been stung. A very good friend of mine, and one with whom I've team taught at fourth grade, moved

to fifth grade. We would always share when we taught at the same grade level. We still enjoy going to conferences together and share ideas, but I think that will soon end. Here's why: We both subscribe to the same magazines and read about a cute book to read with our class, "Frindle." Unbeknownst to each other, we both ordered multiple copies of the book for our class reading program. Needless to say, I returned mine. But it got worse. She then "claimed" all of the books written by this author. This has happened a number of times with ideas, books, and activities. I find myself being more secretive now. Because most of us use trade books in our reading programs at school the issue of "who's reading what" comes up often. I've learned to keep my mouth shut when I find something good. (It's not that I don't want to share, but I don't want our students to have to go through the same learning experience twice!).

On a final note, while attending a conference a few weeks ago, the facilitator handed out a document which turned out to be something that I created last summer (it was a data base of social studies resources and web sites). I think I shared it at a past conference. Anyway, my name had been whited out, but it was mine! I was flattered, but had not indended on the personal document to be shared state wide.
Sorry to have rambled on!