A few weeks ago I came across a blog posting by Elizabeth Stein, entitled Co-teaching: Toxics, Separatists, and Troopers. Although her post focuses on co-teachers in a classroom, I believe her ideas are really speaking about all of us who work in a school environment, or perhaps any institutional work setting. Elizabeth describes three types of relationships: Toxics, Separatists, and Troopers.
1. Toxics are people who "groan, gripe and complain any chance they get." This person complains about their difficult students, the parents that bother them, the administrator who is breathing down their backs, the bathrooms that aren't sparkling, etc. I find that in a unionized environment, this type of person is even more prevalent. This is the kind of teacher who often doesn't see how others perceive him. It is always someone else's fault.
2. Separatists are people who are struggling to do their job, in the co-teacher setting they are avoiding their colleague as much as possible. They mostly work on their own and cannot collaborate with their colleague. They engage the students in ways that separate themselves from their colleague. The conversation is mostly about "I" and not "we." The teachers do not fight with each other and for the most part get along. But it never gets more positive than that.
3. Troopers are co-teachers who just make it work. They may or may not love their colleague, but they recognize the value of co-teaching collaboratively and the impact it can have on their students. These teachers share with one another, they collaborate in planning and they create a positive learning environment.
4. I would add another category of a person who works collaboratively because they want to make the school great! It is not just to make their classroom great, but they recognize that they are part of a whole and when each classroom works to become great, the result is a great school.
Elizabeth concludes her blog with a few suggestions on steps to take to improve collaboration. Here are some of her ideas and a few of mine sprinkled in:
1. Perspective Role Play - Put yourself in your colleagues shoes. Would you want to work with you?Do you make your co-workers feel valued and welcome? Are you kind and thoughtful? Are you open to new ways of doing things? I believe this is the key to it all. Are you really open minded enough to see beyond yourself and your perspective?
2. Be a Reflective Person - Make it a regular practice to reflect on your work and on how you interact with your colleagues. This is not easy to do in an honest way. First reflect yourself, but then ask others to be honest with how they see you and how you contribute to the positive work environment. It takes a big person to lower their ego to do this, but it is worth it.
3. Be a positive person - Make a commitment not to complain or to talk negatively about anything. Don't talk negatively about the school, your colleagues, your students, the parents, the administration. This doesn't mean that everything is perfect. When something concerns you, find the right person to discuss it with, but do it with the goal of trying to improve the school, not with the intent to complain.
4. Stay focused on the kids - Schools are built to educate the minds and the souls of its students. If you are negative, you are taking away from the children's experience. Even if you don't see it, it is happening. Focusing on the kids and why you are working in a school will go a long way in keeping you positive.
School and organization culture is so important. Are you helping your school build a positive culture?
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