Useless

Sometimes I feel bad that I don't include my co-teacher in our lessons more. I haven't had any training, but I do try to make it (theoretically) possible for him to share.

It's not easy, though. First of all, we share the same planning period. I think this is supposed to be so that we can work together on lessons and teach cooperatively. However, as a coach, he has "volunteered" to give up his planning period to ... I dunno. Do coach stuff, I guess.

So honestly, I mostly feel like I'm on my own.

Today after the late bell rang, I went and closed the doors to the classroom and he was just out there in the hall, chatting with another coach. He came into the room five minutes later.

Then, as the students were working on their daily writing, he sat and chatted with a parapro about something in the newspaper.

Argh!

I feel like it would almost be easier if he WASN'T THERE, because not only is it darn near impossible to teach cooperatively when we don't have any cooperative planning time, he creates a distraction and is modeling off-task behavior.

It is NOT okay to walk into class late - repeatedly! Or to ignore work and do something more entertaining. But I'm not sure how to address it without seeming petty and nitpicky.

*sigh* I have ten students in class today. Ten. On a literature circle day! How are we supposed to get a darn thing done?