Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Jealous

So I think I might have a really bad case of jealousy and that just isn't very attractive on anyone. So two years ago when I was teaching Grade 5 I had a "team teacher". Basically this just means that she teaches the same things as me and the classroom next to mine. We were supposed to collaborate and work together to stay at the same pace and cover the same things. Let's just say this didn't happen and she is now moving up to grade 7 and we will be teaching grade 7 together.
When we taught together before she had taught Grade 5 before and she was not very helpful. I am the kind of person (I am not sure if this is good or bad) that gets a new class/grade and reads all of the material and brainstorms about ways to bring the curriculum alive. In my opinion she is the kind of teacher that takes what the teacher had planned from the year before and just does every lesson the way the other teacher did it. She photocopies their worksheets and has the kids work along in a duotang (zzzzzzzzzzzzzz). At first I would ask her what she thought about doing this or doing that and she would always say sure whatever you want. I realized that I was revamping things and she had no input and then when I went to explain what I was thinking she couldn't follow along what I was doing. It took so much time to explain things that it became a job just to let her know what I was doing and how I was doing it. To be honest I just couldn't be bothered. There was never any give and take and on the very very rare occasion when she came up with an idea she would just mention the idea, never cultivate it and never have any follow through. She would say something like I think we should do tissue paper pumpkins. Then I would ask her if she had a lesson plan or any ideas how we would teach the lesson. She would just sit there and look at me with a blank stare. So I would go out and buy the tissue, cut the strips for both classes and then she would ask me if that was all I had cut. Finally I just had enough and I started to do my own thing. At first it was awkward because she would ask what we were doing for art/social studies/science etc. and I would say things like " I was thinking of doing ________ with my class". Then I would show her what I bought and tell her where I got the stuff. I know I could have just as easily picked up stuff for her but I guess I am petty.
On a personal note I just don't like her (wow, I am not nice). She is so different from what you would expect. Looking at her you would think she was a young hip teacher full of ideas but I just don't see that. She always says things like "that sounds like a lot of work" when we are brainstorming ideas in meetings.
Did I mention I will be working with her again this year. She has already asked the previous teacher repeatedly for her memory stick (heaven forbid she write a test or an assignment). Of course I understand her wanting to see what other people have done but I can just see her lazy wheels turning. She is just someone who piggy backs on others and I hate that. She literally had the same thing on her bulletin boards for 3 years. I was so embarassed for her when a parent asked her, while pointing at some work that was displayed, who James was. When she said he was a kid in her class from 3 years ago I was so embarassed for her and the school. Seriously most teachers change their boards with every major art project but at the least you change them when there are major season changes. You would feel pretty ridiculous with Christmas trees up in June.
So why do I even care???? How does she influence me??? Here it is ladies the root of the root. I hate that she is the cool teacher. That's right it's because I am usually the cool teacher. I try to include lots of hands on fun lessons that utilize group work,teachnology, drama, role playing, etc. She on the other hand doesn't bother to plan and does boring meaningless lessons (wow, I am bitter) but bribes them by taking them to McDonalds and then taking them out to play kick ball so they think she is the best. Plus she talks to them like they are her friends. She shows them pictures of the guys she is dating on her phone and gives them basic details about her love life. She even tells them when she gets her period and has to go to the bathroom. Um can we say unprofessional....or maybe I am just a boring old dud.

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