Oh no she didn't! (Coteacher stealing lessons/ideas)

[FullMetalJacket]

So...I teach 3rd through 6th grade with 3 different co-teachers. I see each class only once a week and my CTs see them twice more on their own. Here's the deal - they watch me teach every week, day in, day out. I'm constantly being observed (in my class, I lead, they assist). They see my activities, my behavior management style, my games, everything...fine. I asked each one individually if I could go observe them to get a feel for how the students are when they're not with me, to see (just for personal/professional development) what others do that's more/less effective, and also to get additional ideas for activities. And they said they would feel too uncomortable, that being observed makes them nervous. In other words, no.

I'm fully aware that they use my ideas/games/activities in their classrooms, which I'd be completely comfortable with if: (1) they wouldn't tell other teachers that it's their work or idea; (2) they would share resources with me in return; and (3 - the biggest one for me) they wouldn't use them first with a class that hasn't had a chance to play my game/do my activity with me. That REALLY bugs me.

Second week of class I had a sticker chart ready to tape into my students' books. I had shown the 5th grade teacher my chart the week  before. As I open the students' books to tape my chart in, I see another sticker chart that looks almost identical to the one I made! I feel she could've told me she'd be using a similar system or something...she beat me to the punch and that really got to me. But whatever. A couple of weeks later, I gave her a preview of an activity I would be doing with the students. When the 5th graders got to me and I start to show them, they KNEW IT ALL! She showed them the day before! And no, it wasn't a misunderstanding, it was a cheeky move. But I digress...

I feel it would be beneficial for me to observe others, as that's the kind of teaching environment I'm accustomed to. I think their excuses are just that - lame-o excuses. One friend suggested I just pop in to observe, not giving any notice.  I mean, they watch me, why the hesitation? Or maybe they don't want to get busted for using my activities ('cause they think I don't know, but let's be real).

What should I do?

[MOD EDIT: Changed title]

[amandas]

Well, first of all...I think you must be a really good teacher with some creative resources and your co-teachers are all impressed and wish they were just as creative...so congrats on that.  These Korean teachers are so use to teaching in one way that they can't seem to come up with their own material...and I think that's a result of their own personal learning experience when they were students.  That's all they know, and you really can't blame them.  They need us not only to teach English and be a foreigner in the school, but to give Korean English teachers a different perspective on teaching in general. 

But I totally understand where you're coming from!  I had a co-teacher who use to do the same thing, and I would cringe whenever I knew it was happening.  And honestly, I got fed up with the whole sneaking around ordeal.  So, I went up to her in the time space during lunch (after the teachers eat but before the next class) and I spoke with her about it.  As I'm sure you know, we can't just voice our opinions to anyone who is older than us, or in a higher level within the school than us...so you really have to think of how to get this point across.  What I did was tell her that I was going to start to share my ideas about what I plan on teaching each upcoming week, and I told her that since I was a foreign teacher who has a hard enough time having the students understand me, I needed the students to experience my games by me first so that they wouldn't get bored with them and so that I could keep their attention.  Then, I said that if the game or idea was a success in class, that she could use it in her own classes.  she seemed to understand, and we didnt have a problem after that.

As for the stickers, I recommend just going along with your co-teacher's chart and add stickers to that one....tell the kids that the idea was a collaboration between yourself and your co-teacher and that's it....then the co-teacher has to supply the prize at the end of it all.  Heck, if he or she took your idea, well then, he or she can have the prizes come out of their own pocket. 

I guess all im trying to say is to go with it.  but find ways to come up on top (not malicious ways of course) and in the end you're going to be respected cause these teachers obviously know the ideas came from you anyways, and the kids probably enjoy your classes more than these co-teachers' in the end.

oh and if you really want to check out the other teacher's classes then just stand outside the door.  I think that Koreans get nervous around us anyways, even when they know us so this would be a good way to get a feel for what they do and how they teach in class.  I remember my open class last year.  The Korean co teachers wanted to split the discussion group after the class.  They wanted to have the foreign teachers discuss it in one room, and have the korean co-teachers discuss it in another room...i know -  ridiculous! but they're a shy bunch...just work with it.

Anyways, I hope I helped and good luck with this.

[leabea87]

Hmmm...sometimes my second grade co-teacher will give the students a preview of what is to come in my class. So if he knows he going to be gone during most of the instruction, he will instruct them in Korean during his own time as to promote fluidity in my class as far as activities go when he's not there. I don't know if this is the same thing though lol.

[kp]

I've asked my main co-teacher if I could sit in on her class and also got a no in response.  I know she's not using any of my material, so she has "nothing to hide" other than the fact that she teaches all in Korean, has low class participation, and doesn't implement the suggestions she puts to me.  It would probably make her feel pretty uncomfortable to have me in her classroom given those circumstances, and I get that.  For me, it's not a big enough issue to push for, but perhaps for you it's different.

I think amandas gave some pretty good suggestions - I especially like the part about having the Korean teacher be responsible for the sticker prizes, haha.

The other option I'd consider would be getting them all together on a regular basis to show them what you're going to do for just the next week.  Ask them - before the little meeting - to have their lesson material ready too, so you can all "be prepared and avoid any overlap."  They're probably going to hate the idea of having to show lesson material to you and each other, ha, especially since "they are so busy."  But in this case, you don't have any moral grounds for abandoning the issue since "it's for the children" as you can say.  Doggedly persist until you get your meetings with all teachers there and you can all publicly agree that certain activities are are for certain classes and not to be used ahead of time.  Having things slightly more in the open might help prevent some of your issues.  Might, ha.

One other idea would be to mention again (just like you never heard the word no) your need to observe a class or two when all the teachers are together.  In front of their other two Korean co-workers, it will be harder for them to deny you the opportunity.  Asking "when" and not "if" is a common way I've seen people get what they want, ha.  So instead of "Can I come observe on Monday?" have it be "Would you prefer I come at 3rd period, or 4th?" -- and if they don't answer, you just pick what you prefer.  You've warned them, at least.

Who knows if any of my suggestions will actually help your situation, or just exacerbate it.  I hope the former!  Good luck in all of this.

[heyitslep]

One other idea would be to mention again (just like you never heard the word no) your need to observe a class or two when all the teachers are together.  In front of their other two Korean co-workers, it will be harder for them to deny you the opportunity.  Asking "when" and not "if" is a common way I've seen people get what they want, ha.  So instead of "Can I come observe on Monday?" have it be "Would you prefer I come at 3rd period, or 4th?" -- and if they don't answer, you just pick what you prefer.  You've warned them, at least.

This is just great advice for any situation. Many people seem to forget the power of words and how to properly use them to be effective.

[sweet_potato]

Why do you keep giving previews? Just stop sharing your material. Or let them see it after you have used it.

Yes, I agree with this!!

You seem to have the same role that I have at your school - doing everything on your own, with your coteachers sometimes participating in your classes. But I never tell them what I'm doing, ever. It's a surprise to them just like it is for the kids. And when they ask me (which they've stopped doing) I give them a really vague answer, "maybe a ppt, CD, and a game".

My coteachers do not teach in English in front of me (since their role is to help the kids understand - ie - mostly in Korean). My students have openly expressed that my class is the fun class with games and talking, and that the Korean teacher's class is about sitting and listening. They prefer our classes. And we have gotten really good at teaching to these kids because we can't use Korean. We have to use a lot of visuals, and make super-interactive games. Of course, kids prefer this to just sitting there. A Korean teacher's version of a game is saying a word in Korean, and having kids try to translate it to English before their partner.

One time, I played pass-the-ball game with my kids. We literally got through 2 students and the class ended. They really liked it, and I promised them I'd play it again next week. My coteacher (her first time seeing the game) told me she liked it too, and asked me for the file. She told me that she wants to change it, so she can use it for the next unit. So I gave it to her. Then, when I came to teach them next time, I loaded up the game because I promised them I'd play it - they all groaned! I ignored it, and started playing, and these kids HAD MEMORIZED THE ORDER OF THE GAME. She played my game for the entire 40 mins of her class until the kids memorized it all and started hating it. WTH, right?!?!? I should also mention that I scheduled 10 minutes of class time to play this game and ended up having to scramble and find something else to do because it was pointless- since they knew the answers before the picture even loaded up.

[FullMetalJacket]

Great advice, thank you! I don't give them previews anymore. It was that one time and after I realized that she taught the activity to her class (because she said she ran out of things to do), I never gave previews again.

@kp and amandas, thank you for the sound advice. You're right - there are ways to word things so that you can get what you want. And there are ways to come out on top without being malicious.

@sweet_potato, that's exactly what I feel I'm going through and that's my biggest concern - that they milk the games/activities they see me use in my lessons and by the time I want to use them in my class again, the kids are tired of them. I feel like I know how to "sell it" so that the kids buy into the activity and how to manage the activity so that it's successful. I also feel that I know how often to use a game...I don't do the same activities every week. For example, we'll play a particular game once every 3 or 4 weeks. One of my CT now plays that specific game with my 4th graders every class she has them, every week. So that's out...it's overkill.

And what's started to happen is once they see me do a particular thing in the book (like Listen & Repeat, for example) in a fashion they think is clever/fresh/interesting/new/exciting, they'll stop asking me to do that part so that they can do it in their class. They'll instead ask me to do other sections, sections they find difficult to teach in a fun way. My 6th grade CT has done just this and I now don't teach anything to the 6th graders except for Story Time and a review of a previous lesson...every Friday.

[LoloRising]

On the topic of watching other teachers classes, I just had my co-teacher tell me that later this month, on a Friday, we'll be going to another school to watch a sample teaching class, which I assume will be by a Korean teacher...
Anyone else ever experience this kind of thing? She said she didn't think I needed it, because I'm doing just fine, but I still want to go to scope out some style differences.   

[notinKS]

On the topic of watching other teachers classes, I just had my co-teacher tell me that later this month, on a Friday, we'll be going to another school to watch a sample teaching class, which I assume will be by a Korean teacher...
Anyone else ever experience this kind of thing? She said she didn't think I needed it, because I'm doing just fine, but I still want to go to scope out some style differences.   

Usually it's another foreign teacher, but I'm curious: when is the open class? One of my co-teachers is presenting one on Friday, May 27th.

[SBracken]

I don't talk much with my co-teachers, and when I do it's rarely about lessons. However, I did have one experience when I'd talked a bit about what I had planned for my next class (the next week) and, lo and behold, I showed up, ready to string the kids along with all my information gaps and make em think (seriously, korean kids, you need to learn to think outside the box, most of you), and they knew exactly the terms I was looking for, for everything. Maybe I'm paranoid but now I'm super vague if lessons come up, or I just tell her 'yea, but I might change it', and then re-write 80% of it.
I would definitely do your best to just stop it from coming up in conversation or whenever. It's not like you need to plan your KT's classes as well.

[tokkibunni]

My main coteacher never lets me sit in on her classes. Her response is always something like this, "I didn't prepare fun class so you be boring." So, sometime, if I have time I would make/modify a power point or game for her to use in the classes she teaches without me. And, even when I do give her materials I still can't watch LOL. She's too nervous if i sit in and watch.

She say at most 3 Korean sentences in a 40 min period when we teach together. I wonder how our two open classes will go next month.

[weirdgirlinkorea]

This is happening to me, sort of; only mine is also really uncomfortable coteaching, which just compounds the issue. It makes my blood boil. All I can do is breathe in and out and wait out the semester for the changing of the guards (or CTs in this case). I only have two and the one doing it to me is leaving next term. The other one is just awesome.

As a sidenote, before she leaves, as my luck would have it, I have to have my renewal open class with her. 

[shhowse]

On the topic of watching other teachers classes, I just had my co-teacher tell me that later this month, on a Friday, we'll be going to another school to watch a sample teaching class, which I assume will be by a Korean teacher...
Anyone else ever experience this kind of thing? She said she didn't think I needed it, because I'm doing just fine, but I still want to go to scope out some style differences.   

I had this happen as well, though in my case it was hosted at my school and the guest speaker was a Korean teacher who taught in English. It was actually a very interesting demonstration and I got some good ideas from her. I was really impressed that she actually taught her class all in English, with only a dash of Korean to quickly explain some grammar or difficult points.

[LoloRising]

On the topic of watching other teachers classes, I just had my co-teacher tell me that later this month, on a Friday, we'll be going to another school to watch a sample teaching class, which I assume will be by a Korean teacher...
Anyone else ever experience this kind of thing? She said she didn't think I needed it, because I'm doing just fine, but I still want to go to scope out some style differences.   

Usually it's another foreign teacher, but I'm curious: when is the open class? One of my co-teachers is presenting one on Friday, May 27th.

It is May 27th that this will be happening for me! You aren't by chance in the Changwon area are you?

[notinKS]

On the topic of watching other teachers classes, I just had my co-teacher tell me that later this month, on a Friday, we'll be going to another school to watch a sample teaching class, which I assume will be by a Korean teacher...
Anyone else ever experience this kind of thing? She said she didn't think I needed it, because I'm doing just fine, but I still want to go to scope out some style differences.   

Usually it's another foreign teacher, but I'm curious: when is the open class? One of my co-teachers is presenting one on Friday, May 27th.

It is May 27th that this will be happening for me! You aren't by chance in the Changwon area are you?

Nope, I'm in Guri. Oh well!

[haroldturkoman]

I hate to be the one to remind every one of this fact, but we definately do need to remember to respect the Korean culture. This is a sharing culture. Your co-teacher might take you're lessons, but he/she will probably bring in some little oranges or maybe some bottles of delicious juices before the school year is over, so every thing will even out. Don't worry abotu what you think the co-teacher has alledgedly stole from you --- instead, you should anticipating the treats that you will recieve! As I like to say, we can make lemons from lemonade.

[asabranca]

I like your attitude, Harold.   

[finetea7]

Although she doesn't tell you, I think she respects your ideas and teaching methods!

[cragesmure]

I hate to be the one to remind every one of this fact, but we definately do need to remember to respect the Korean culture. This is a sharing culture. Your co-teacher might take you're lessons, but he/she will probably bring in some little oranges or maybe some bottles of delicious juices before the school year is over, so every thing will even out. Don't worry abotu what you think the co-teacher has alledgedly stole from you --- instead, you should anticipating the treats that you will recieve! As I like to say, we can make lemons from lemonade.

Fair enough, it's a sharing culture.  It's be nice if Korean teachers "share" their teaching goals with us.  It seems to me that this would facilitate a more effective teaching/learning environment.  I see the obvious benefits for teachers communicating with each other and helping each other to improve, hence waygook.org.  But it's kind of inconsiderate and unprofessional for a Korean teacher to steal ideas/lesson plans and use them before the NT has had the chance to use them in class.  It makes the NT look unprepared and unoriginal.  Fair enough, we should be working together to give the students the best possible education.  That much should be obvious.  But sharing is not the same as leeching.  In my mind, a couple of oranges is not an adequate pay-off for KTs implicitly perpetuating the image of the stupid, lazy foreigner.
An example - at the start of the current semester, the (entirely) Korean administration staff didn't have my class attandance sheets ready for the first day of class (I can go online to print these, but they had changed my password, for some reason, and no one knew my new password to get into the site, except the one woman who was apparently late and not answering her phone.).  Of course, I was in at work an hour early, as I have enough experience in this country to know that they can find their arses with both hands.  I asked repeatedly, but had to go to class without the attendance sheets.  I heard a comment as I left the administration office regarding how foreigners are not patient enough.  Later, I heard a student from my first class in the administration complaining that I "wasn't prepared for class because I didn't even have the attendance sheet", the response to which didn't deflect any of the blame from me.
Share resources, sure.  But I don't think it's too much to ask that they share a bit of the blame for a stuff up, especially when it is entirely their fault.  Respect goes both ways.

[Thomas Mc]

What are these awesome lessons and activities? A quick viewing of the OP's posting history reveals no lessons posted up here.