Communication is Key

Open communication is paramount in order to have a successful co teaching environment.  We have been lucky enough to be friends before being placed in a co teaching situation. This however may not always be the case in your situation. Regardless of the circumstances, it is best to set boundaries right from the beginning in order to avoid problems in the future.  Sitting down before school starts or at the earliest convenience is the best way to set some ground rules. Some things to consider are as follows: How will you communicate with each other when you are not at school? (or will you?) Through text, email, phone call? Are there good or bad times to call (night time limits or weekends?) Will you have common planning time? What will be accomplished during those planning times? What about before and after school? We all have a “life” outside of school (even though our students don’t think so). It is important to be open and honest with each other as to what are time constraints may exist. For example, one of you may have the ability or desire to get to school early to set up the classroom or make last minute copies. Others may want or have the ability to stay late after school to perform certain tasks.