How To Create & Maintain a Happy Marriage

A co-teaching marriage that is, hahaha.

Co-teaching is a lot like a marriage.
It really does take two compatible individuals, hard work, dedication, and respect
to have a successful co-teaching relationship.

I guess you can say that my principal is a great match maker because she has been pairing
up successful co-teaching marriages for about 4 years now!

Anyways, after what is ALMOST a year of being in a healthy and happy co-teaching relationship, I will share some tips and advice for those who might be co-teaching in the future.

TIPS AND ADVICE FOR A HEALTHY CO-TEACHING MARRIAGE

1) Think of Your Co-teacher as Your Equal
It's so important to think of your co-teacher(partner) as your equal. I believe if you truly believe your partner to be of an equal to you, there will come a mutual level of respect for him or her. I believe that my partner (whom I shall refer to as Ms. Phantastic) is not only an equal but someone whom I highly respect and admire. She has taught me so much in my first official year of teaching and continues to inspire me to work harder each day.

2) Be Open (Communicate)
It's also very important to openly discuss things with your co-teacher. Ms. Phantastic and I had the privilage of attending a co-teaching workshop before we embarked on this journey together. Through the workshop, we were able to openly discuss our teaching styles and classroom expectations. What I learned is that you have to be flexible and open to new ideas because in a co-teaching classroom, you are merging two different teaching styles and expectations into one. You are not gonna get everything your way and that's just the nature of sharing a space with someone and trying to merge two different lives together, which leads me into the next tip.

3) Be Flexible
Not everything will go your way. This is just the fact of being in a co-teaching relationship. You are going to want to do the bulletin board this way and he or she will want to do it another. However, you must make comprises. If your co-teacher wants to do the bulletin board a certain way, maybe you can suggest taking turns with the bulletin board or even merge your ideas together.

4) Maintain a Level of Professionalism
Although Ms. Phantastic and I spend a great deal of time together each week (more than anyone else in my life) I always maintain a certain level of professionalism. I just think it makes your co-teaching relationship better when you do. There's a reason why you fight with your family members and close friends. It's because your so comfortable and really don't hold anything back. However, in a co-teaching relationship I think it's beneficial to always keep in mind that although your co-teacher is your friend and partner, he or she is also your colleague so be professional about it.

5) Be There
There will be days when your co-teacher is not feeling well (physically,emotionally, mentally). This is when you have to pull both of your weights together. It's just part of human nature to have good days and bad. When you realize that your co-teacher isn't feeling well, you should take initiative to maybe teach longer, give him or her space. Also let him or her know that you understand what is going on and you are willing to "lead" for the day. I think this is SO important. Just like in a real marriage, if your partner was sick, you would take the initiative to maybe take out the garbage, cook dinner, and put the kids to bed... in a co-teaching marriage it's no different. Compromise, compromise, and compromise!


Although I am NO expert on co-teaching relationships by any means, these are just some of the things that I think have allowed Ms. Phantastic and I to have such a wonderful year together. I am truly SO very thankful to have had the opportunity to work with such a talented, caring, and sweet partner. I know we will have many more happy years ahead and that makes me SO excited!

Dedicated to the most wonderful co-teaching partner, Ms. Phantastic :)

Children's Book of the Month: Where the Wild Things Are

For the month of May, I decided to feature an old school book (first published in 1963) but really an all time favorite of many people including myself:



You probably already read this book and own it in your library OR used to own
it when you are younger, haha.

BUT for those who never read this book before,
it is about a boy named Max who gets in trouble for well, just being your average little boy... hahaha. Anyways, his mom sends him to bed without supper. In his room, his imagination takes over and he travels to his own little world (AKA where the wild things are). He becomes their king and goes on exploring the forest but eventually he gets lonely and homesick so he returns to his room (or comes back to reality) where he finds a warm supper waiting for him in his room.

I personally LOVE this book because I love how it portrays just how vivid and wild children's imaginations are. I also LOVE how it portrays a mother's love for her child.

Makes me think back to my own childhood and reminds me of how when I got in trouble by my mom, she NEVER failed to show me she still loved me (even when I decided to prank call the police to report a naughty little sister and had them come to our apartment.... ahahah).

Anyways!
If you're going to a baby shower or have a little child in your life, this book must be part of their book collection!!

In Summary

May's Book Recommendation: Where the Wild Things Are

Author: Maurice Sendak

Recommended for: ages 3-7 or primary grades(k,1,2,3)

A Coconut In Our Classroom

After we adopted our class pet Snowball, one of our students (I will call her Jenny) fell in LOVE and asked her parents for her own little bunny. For Christmas, Jenny's dad bought her her own little Coconut (okay, Coconut is not little by any means.... he's quite the opposite... observe below).

(I like big BUTTS and I cannot lie! Haha jk)

It was initially Jenny's idea to bring Coconut in to visit our classroom. She was very excited and could not wait. Therefore, we planned a day for Coconut to come visit our classroom and meet Snowball. Here is picture of Jenny holding her baby Coconut!
(sorry for the spooky hearts but it must be done, haha)

Anyways, we had a wonderful time meeting Coconut. Jenny got to walk around and let everybody pet him. The only problem was that our bunny Snowball isn't spayed so Coconut could only meet her behind bars... because if you know anything about bunnies... it is that they like to many lots and lots of baby bunnies.
I will end with this picture of me and my co-teacher holding Snowball & Coconut. We are a happy family. Hahaha

Who Needs Paid Vacations and Bonuses?!

When you can get personalized magnets and cupcakes! Hahaha.

After 11 GLORIOUS days off for spring break, we returned to school this week.
I must admit, I REALLY missed their sauce-stained-after-lunch faces oh so much!

First day back from a long break is usually rather awkward. The kiddies and the teachers need some time to get back in the groove of things... so there we were trying to get back into our normal routine when one of our students (let's just call her Jenny) walks up to us and hands us two little pastry boxes. Apparently, Jenny's family went to New Jersey the day before and stopped by Carlos Bakery of Cake Boss (famous from the show on TLC) so she got us two little cupcakes. I mean, of course I've had cupcakes before and honestly, these cupcakes weren't the most delicious of the cupcakes I've had in my life time BUT it was oh SOO sweet of Jenny to think about her teachers during her break. Really melted my heart!


Another student of ours (let's call him Robert) went to the Great Wolf Lodge (water park located in Pennsylvania) over the break and came back with personalized magnets for us! Hahaha. I couldn't help but giggle when he handed us our magnets! What was even sweeter is that he remembered our first names (kiddies LOVE it when you share things like that with them and they will often never forget things you tell them about yourself).



Gotta love em (kiddies, cupcakes, and personalized magnets that is)!

Stick 'Em Up!! (or into the envelope...)

Every Friday, in our (yes, our because it's me and my co-teacher's) classroom we have FUN FRIDAY. What exactly is Fun Friday? Well, it's exactly what the name suggests. We devote a period of instruction on Fridays to something different such as arts and crafts and other things we don't normally get to do during the week. Our children REALLY look forward to this time on Friday and me and my co-teacher are constantly looking for activities to do with our students. Anyways, I will share my favorite Fun Friday activity so far this year....

It all started around Valentine's day, with my co-teacher talking about the abundant amount of post its we have in our classroom. Post its are part of the 3rd grade supply list. However, over the years my co-teacher has collected a whole box of them which was sitting on top of our closet collecting dust. This is when I started to think about an activity that would incorporate post its and be worth while for our students.

We decided to have a week of "SAY SOMETHING NICE TO YOUR CLASSMATES, TEACHERS, & SNOWBALL, ON A POST IT AND STICK EM' INTO THEIR ENVELOPES." The whole idea was to write nice sayings, compliments, or notes to one another everyday for an entire week. In order to do this, we first had to create and decorate our mailboxes AKA white envelopes.

We spent a period decorating and individualizing our envelopes and designated a spot in the back of the room to hang up our mailboxes. It was really adorable how each child was able to put a little bit of him/herself on to the envelope (see below).


Now the waiting game began as we spent an entire week writing post its to one another. We allowed the students to write post its if they finished their classwork early and also at the end of the day. My co-teacher and I also got a chance to write a note to each and everyone of our twenty-five students. Each day, every child's envelope began to fill up. However, we did notice that some students were not getting as many post it notes as others so by Wednesday for homework, we assigned each student to write a note to someone they don't know very well or haven't written a note to yet. This solved the problem and by Friday, each student had collected a minimum of 6-7 notes! On the last day which was Friday, we all took our envelopes off the wall and read through our notes. Even as a teacher, I felt a rush of excitement and joy as I read through each and every one of their SWEET little notes.

In order to help preserve our notes, we gave each student a piece of red construction paper. We glued down our envelopes and post its and made a collage. Here are the finished products! We are happy to say that along with the students we thoroughly enjoyed this activity and some of the notes made me want to tear. It just showed me how much our students have grown and matured with one another and how genuine they are!


P.S. Snowball had an envelope too and needless to say, Ms. Popular Bunny Rabbit received the most notes.... her envelope almost fell off the wall... hahaha.