sharing

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sharing
By Julianne

I've shared a lot. Sometimes it's a marriage made in heaven, sometimes it's hell. This is my second year sharing a first grade classroom with a partner. She teaches mornings, I teach afternoons. Our partnership has been
one of the rare, wonderful experiences where everything seems to work perfectly. But, I've shared many times and it's not always like that. To make it work I would suggest several ideas.
First, you probably should try to get another desk. You need a space in this room that is all your own. You need to be able to find your special pen or a pair of scissors without worrying that they

have "walked" away. I know another desk takes up precious space, but after trying to share a desk I can tell you it makes your life much less stressful. Your own filing cabinet would be nice also. Barring that, try to get your principal to find you a four drawer model so you can each claim two drawers.

The key to good sharing is communication and compromise. You need to sit down with your partner now and talk about bulletin boards, counter space, drawer space, student projects, supplies etc. You should not expect to do all the compromising. This room belongs to the school, not to any particular teacher. Yes, you are the newby, but you have to teach there and you have to store stuff there. Decide what you need and ask the other teacher to work with you to provide it. You can word your request in an assertive manner, "I'll need three of the shelves. That leaves four for you. I'd like that set by the door. Which other one would you like me to take?" or something like that. Make sure she understands that you aren't asking permission. You are collaborating on the use of this resource - the room.