Working together in front of a classroom involves rhythm and timing. It is a salsa where the partners dance at 160 bpm captivating their audiences with elegant moves and fascinating dips. The partners separate and groove individually as they shine in their own glory of notes and style only to come back together imparting the most important of information in their moves. It is not a line dance where they move lock-in-step. It couldn’t be because they each bring a talent to the table, one a gen. ed. teacher, the other – Sped or El. There would be no need for two if they danced the same exact moves. Nor is it a waltz in simple repetitive counts of three over and over again. Lessons are too unpredictable. Teaching together means pausing and allowing your partner to take the stage and shine. It means reaching out and taking his hand as you move into place to make the next leap before he spins you and lets you slide to the floor allowing him to then split leap jump over your head. It is should be effortless and should flow even without practice.
Unfortunately, my partner steps on my toes – all throughout the dance. She leaps when she should glide, she runs like a wild rhino when she should halt. And I am stiff and frozen in a stoic move of resistance and frustration. We lack rhythm and timing and will place last in the dance contest this year.
This analogy is perfect and very creative! I have a co-teacher and your last paragraph fits our situation perfectly. I am going to share it with a colleague as I am sure she will agree with me!
ReplyDeleteThank you! I am so glad that I have someone to share in my pain. Sorry to hear this is not an isolated incident. But, like our students, this too shall pass. :)
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