Dan Schafhauser (co-teaching with Miss Hee (Christina) Seung)

Parity, Parity, Parity

How do you and your co-teaching partner convey to students that your teaching relationship is truly collaborative, that it
is a partnership based on parity? The following checklist might help you to think through ideas about how you, your
teaching partner, and students can observe parity (or its absence).

Already
Do

Should
Do

Not
Applicable

___x__

_____

_____

1. Both teachers names are on the board, door, or posted in

the classroom.

_____

_x (only
has gen.
ed.
TeacherMiss
Seung)_
_____

_____

2. Both teachers names are on schedules and report cards.

_____

3. Both teachers handwriting is on student assignments (that

is, each teacher participates in grading).

_____

_____

4. Both teachers have space for personal belongings.

_____

_____

5. Both teachers have similar furniture (desks, chairs, etc).

_____

_____

6. Both teachers take a lead role in the classroom.

___x
(moreso
with Miss
Seung,
but
working
towards
equality)_
_____

_____

7. Teacher talk during instruction is approximately equal.

_____

8. Both teachers give directions or permission without

checking
with the other teacher.

___x__

_____

_____

9. Both teachers work with ALL students.

__x_(I was
asked if I

_____

_____

10. Both teachers are considered teachers by all students.

__x (Miss
Seung does
more of
grading, but
yes )___
_x (we have
separate
desks)_
__x___
__x (yes,
but moreso
Miss Seung
since she is
lead
teacher)_
_____

__x (this is
a strength
of ours)_

Marilyn Friend, 2009

was
assistant)
earlier in
year, but
that notion
has been
dispelled
through
more
equality
through
instruction)_

Notes / Comments: This was informative for me (Mr. Schafhauser) since it let us know how we
could be subtly signaling to students sometimes of differences between us as teachers and that is
received by students in different ways. This is very important for us as teachers to keep in mind so
all students know we have equal and HIGH expectations. From this, I have begun to see how
unique our co-teaching relationship is (since were very different people), and also how great it is
even though it definitely comes with its struggles too.__

Marilyn Friend, 2009