Teaching in Circles: Learning to Harmonize as a Co-Teacher of Gifted Education

In this autoethnography, I explored my daily challenges and frustrations working as a teacher of gifted students in inclusion classrooms in an elementary public school. Inquiring about how I coped with these challenges and eventually thrived in the position, I journaled weekly about my teaching experiences during a six-month period and collected e-mails to teachers and parents. I employed constant comparative analysis and five themes emerged: frustration, isolation, advocacy, collaboration, and influence. I discussed the themes within the greater social and cultural context, drawing upon psychology and educational theories. Keywords: Autoethnography, Co-Teaching, Gifted Education, Teacher Isolation, Teachers as Advocates How I Came to Write an Autoethnography Did I error in taking this job? I entertained this thought just weeks after I accepted a position as a resource teacher of gifted students at a k-8 school in a large urban school district. The job seemed miles apart from my previous teaching job--a fifth-grade teacher of gifted students in a self-contained classroom, the major difference being that instead of having my own classroom I now had to work in other teachers' classrooms. I accepted the position for several reasons: I wanted to be closer to my fiance (love will make a man do crazy things); also, I believed teaching in a larger school district would provide more opportunity; the job also paid more. But now, I had to adhere to other teacher's schedules. I had to adjust to their plans, to their teaching styles, and to their personalities. I also lacked my own space. I had to work at a small table in the classroom--if provided--or find another location, usually the school's media center. Furthermore, I had to justify my pedagogy to colleagues, who often had little or no training in gifted education. I recall during my first year on the job on particularly pointed email, in which I informed a colleague that it "was not my first rodeo" and I expected to be treated like a professional! In truth, I wanted to quit the job at times, return to my previous position. However, I persisted, and over the course of several years, I coped and even occasionally thrived in the job. I developed my craft and furthered my education. I gained recognition in the form of awards (ironically, voted on by colleagues). Most importantly, I improved relationships with co-teachers, learning to work with rather than against them, and to even influence their pedagogy when it came to gifted and advanced learners. While the job still presents challenges, I evolved and "grew" into the position. I offer this analogy: I went from running head first, clumsily, hitting resistance head-on at every turn to more of the poised Aikido master, who skillfully avoids obstacles and redirects oncoming energy, using it to his or her advantage (in the Japanese martial art, Aikido, the practitioner blends his energy with that of the opponent to neutralize and control rather than aggressively defeat an attacker; mutual cooperation and awareness of others are emphasized) (Faggianelli & Lukoff, 2006). Founder, Ueshiba (n.d.) described the principles of his art in the following way: "In Aikido we never attack. An attack is proof that one is out of control. Never run away from any kind of challenge, but do not try to suppress or control an opponent unnaturally. Let attackers come any way they like and then blend with them. Never chase after opponents. Redirect each attack and get firmly behind it." In essence, I learned to co-teach in "circles," moving in softer, gentle circular motions rather than in an aggressive, linear fashion. For instance, rather than try to force a co-teacher to utilize a gifted education strategy with my students, I learned it was wiser to gently suggest it, a soft sell some might say. I might compose an e-mail stating, "Hi there, I learned this new tool to get students to consider their reading text or article from a number of perspectives; the gifted kids would really benefit but I think it would elevate the discussion for the entire class. …