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Team-teaching experiment works
By Jim Cornelius

At the beginning of this year, Sisters Elementary School Principal Tim Comfort had a problem: Two good teachers needed to cut back their teaching schedules.

Kathy Green had just had a child and she was reluctant to go back to work full-time. Norma Pledger wanted to spend more time with her older children, who need her help to participate in their school activities.

Rather than risk losing good teachers, Comfort decided to let the teachers share a fifth grade class. So far, everyone involved thinks the experiment in job sharing is working perfectly.

Pledger teaches in the morning, then takes the afternoon off to drive her older children to sporting events or to do other "mom" chores. Green comes in for the afternoon. The pair overlap their schedules so they can compare notes.

That suits Green to a T.

"I think it would be really, really taxing for me to get here early," she said.

For Green, the limited schedule actually allows her to give more to her work than she might be able to with a full time schedule and a young child at home.

"I have the energy to go the extra mile," she said.

Green and Pledger have established a sophisticated written assignment book that allows them to communicate with each other so as to avoid duplicating work, and to communicate with students and parents.

So far, students and parents alike seem happy with the situation. According to Comfort, there have been no complaints. Students are performing well.

In fact, there may be advantages to the team-teaching concept, according to one fifth grader.

She said that the best thing about having two teachers is "not getting bored with one."

There are some added costs to the job- sharing experiment, Comfort acknowledged. Issues of benefits and time overlap will have to be scrutinized, especially in light of a looming budget crunch.

However, there are savings, too. Because of the flexible schedule, both teachers are able to be in the classroom when they are supposed to be and they can cover for each other when need be. That cuts down on the need to hire substitute teachers.

Comfort sees the job-sharing arrangement as an effective way of keeping two "motivated, high-quality teachers." Green and Pledger see it as a way to remain effective in their job while fulfilling family responsibilities.

Green said she hopes the arrangement can continue at least until her son is in school.

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