Capitalize on Strengths to Teach the Teacher

Here’s the situation. Maybe you all could offer an opinion one way or the other.

Last week, I was asked by a coworker if I would be willing to teach writing to all of our 5^th graders next year.  Teach writing for hours on end? I know, I know. Most of you are cringing right now but for me, this is an exciting prospect. Everyone at my school knows how much I love to write, but the feeling is rarely reciprocated. So of course, I leapt at the idea.

Now I like to talk, to bounce ideas off my friends and family, so I told a friend.

*YAWNS* My teacher friend was significantly less than impressed. In her opinion, everyone should continue to learn how to effectively teach writing, or any subject they struggle with. I’ll be the first to admit this. We all have subjects we struggle to teach. I struggle with Science and PE and would do anything to avoid them.

But is that what’s best for the students?
 I don’t know, so I went to talk to my principal. Once again, I explained the possible teaming idea for next year, expecting to be shot down again.

Her response? “Why wait until next year? Why not start next week?”

So who is right? Is there even a right or wrong answer to be found? Should our students be subjected to poor teaching while our teachers go through their growing pains? Or should teachers capitalize on their strengths and team teach?

I’ve always been a proponent for team teaching. I tend to excel at teaching writing and social studies. While I enjoy math, I’m not sure that my best lessons are always up to snuff. And forget about teaching science. I barely squeaked by with C’s in college. I can’t explain any science concept to a kid if I don’t fully understand it myself, right? So rather than allow my students to suffer the consequence of my ineptitude, I prefer to work together with my partners. This way, my students get the best possible lessons, even if that means I’m not the one doing the teaching.

I’ve always thought team teaching was the best approach, but my friend is right. It comes with a cost, not necessarily for the kids, but for the teachers. At what point in time will I finally learn how to teach PE or Science? If someone else always does that part of my job for me, I may never learn.

So here’s my question. How can I ensure that my students are getting top-notch learning experiences without being penalized for my weaknesses as a person, or as a teacher?

The only solution I’ve come up with is this. Team teach during the day, so that your students get the best possible education. In the afternoons, spend precious teacher collaboration time, teaching each other. Put all the best science teachers together and let them model how they lesson plan and develop creative learning experiences. Each month pick a new curriculum area to focus on. Learn all that you can, soak up new teaching methods, and overcome your phobias. Then slowly, put that new knowledge to practice in your classrooms. Once day each week, don’t team teach. Let the homeroom teacher plan a lesson and reflect on how it went.

Eventually, all teachers will be amazing teachers in all curriculum areas, but it won’t happen overnight.  It will take a lot of time: time spent learning from peers, time spent digesting new information, and time spent getting out of your comfort zone. But it will be time well spent.

So what will my team do next year, or even next week? Who knows, but I have a few ideas to take to the principal. I’ll bet she groans every time I walk into her office, but at least I can say, I’m trying to make my school a better place.

How do you all feel about team teaching? Is it just the lazy way out, or a brilliant teaching method? How do you feel about peers teaching teachers?