A Work Partner’s View of Co-Teaching with a New Native English-Speaking Teacher

A Work Partner’s View of Co-Teaching with a New Native English-Speaking Teacher

If I were an established nonnative English-speaking teacher in my own country and I learned that a new English teacher from the U.S. was going to join me in my classroom, I might be—

Excited to have someone…

• ·         with whom I could use English regularly
• ·         who could easily speak to matters of English culture and current events
• ·         who, as a native speaker, would motivate my students to see the authenticity of communicating in English
• ·         who could help me out with classroom activities
• ·         who could share student monitoring and evaluation with me
• ·         who could bring some new, engaging activities into my classroom
• ·         who knew enough about language teaching that I could “talk shop” with them and have an ongoing dialogue about my classroom
• ·         might be able to create opportunities for my students to use and practice English outside of class

Concerned about having someone who might…

• ·         judge my English proficiency
• ·         judge my teaching practice
• ·         try to take over my classroom
• ·         diminish the students’ respect for me

I would tend to think…

·         I already know how to teach well in my school/education system

·         I don’t need to make big changes in my teaching

·         it would be a pain to have to accommodate the new English teacher in my classes every class

·         I want to work with the new English teacher, but I want to be able to control the type of collaboration that we engage in

·         the new English teacher is a resource for expanding classroom activities and learning opportunities, but not so much to change activities I already engage in

Some matters I would expect to inform the new English teacher about would include…

• ·         grading, the design of the curriculum, accepted practices in the school
• ·         my language, culture, history, and current events
• ·         what I know about teaching from experience and why I teach as I do
• ·         classroom management and dealing with individual students
• ·         getting along with administrators and staff in the school

 I would be angry if the new English teacher…

• ·         tried to tell me how to teach
• ·         insisted on implementing her/his ideas or activities in my class when I didn’t approve
• ·         complained about me to administrators
• ·         criticized me to other teachers
• ·         treated students in ways I didn’t approve of

I would be disappointed, if not angry, if…

• ·         the new English teacher seemed to know nothing about teaching
• ·         s/he showed little interest in learning my language and culture
• ·         s/he continually complained about or criticized my language, culture, or conditions in my country