Episode 39: Adventures in Coteaching
Tricia Piacentini
Fourth Grade Coteacher with Melissa Milner and Cohost of the Adventures in Coteaching Episodes.
Arielle Mucha
Fourth Grade Teacher
Patti Beckman
Fourth Grade Teacher
Transcript:
(transcribed by kayla.r.fainer@gmail.com)
Melissa Milner 00:09
Hi, this is Melissa Milner. Welcome to The Teacher As... podcast. The goal of this weekly podcast is to help you explore your passions and learn from others in education and beyond to better your teaching. The Teacher As... podcast will highlight innovative practices and uncommon parallels in education.
I am excited to be back with Adventures in Co-Teaching with my trusty co-teacher, Tricia Piacentini. Say hi, Tricia.
Tricia Piacentini 00:37
Hi, Tricia!
Melissa Milner 00:42
And here we go. We're very excited to have our team with us - well, two members of our team. We have some other friends that help us on the fourth grade team. But the two other gen ed teachers on our team, we have Patti Beckman and Arielle Mucha, who also teach fourth grade at our school.
Amazing to have you guys. Welcome to The Teacher As... podcast, Adventures in Co-Teaching.
Arielle Mucha 01:14
Thank you.
Patti Beckman 01:15
Thank you for having us.
Melissa Milner 01:17
I really just want to have a chat. We're a pretty rockin' team. This is our first year working together. It's our first year co-teaching and our first year in fourth grade. And you two have been the most amazing support systems.
So I just want to talk about-- I'm just putting out a topic for us to chat about, which is just how to have a successful team collaboration and what goes into that and discuss.
Patti Beckman 01:49
Well, first of all, very easy to work with both of you. And we're so excited that you are part of the fourth grade team. It just really became very cohesive and fun and energetic this year. It's been wonderful. So thank you for being part of our team.
Melissa Milner 02:08
Thank you, Patti. You're amazing.
Arielle Mucha 02:10
I'm thankful for this team. And not only just our personalities and support of each other, but considering we've taught in every way, shape, or form and through any media this year, and we've managed to collaborate through it all, I'm just very grateful for that.
Melissa Milner 02:26
Yeah, that's a good point. We really have been. We've been full remote. We've been a hybrid. We've been some of us are in, some of us remote. And now we're all-- I'm finally back in, so unbelievable.
Patti Beckman 02:40
And we were doing it at different times, too. So when I was home, when I was working remote, Arielle was in school. And Tricia was in school the whole time. So she was the only one that got to see everybody.
Tricia Piacentini 02:57
I was really lucky. I feel like I got to connect with everybody. Because Patti was right next door, and our door's open. We have adjoining classrooms. And so when she was in, I'd get to see her. And then when Arielle was in, I'd get to see her. And of course, I saw Melissa all day long remotely before she came in.
And so it was really cool for me. And it was a very different first year position. So I felt grateful to always have access to all of you at all times. So that was really cool for me. So I loved that part of it.
Melissa Milner 03:31
So when I was out on bereavement when my husband passed, would it be possible for you to explain how the team rallied? Because basically - and I'm gonna start to cry - but basically, you guys said, don't even think about school. And I was able to just grieve. And I wasn't worrying about, oh shoot, I gotta send in sub plans.
So how did you guys - because I wasn't there - how did you, as a team, figure that out to make that work while I was out?
Tricia Piacentini 04:03
I got so much help from Patti and Arielle. They were like, okay, this is what we're doing this week. I'm like, excellent. And they sent me pretty much anything they had formatted digitally or they were doing. And of course I could ask them 101 questions every day, which I pretty much did, which was really, really helpful. So that was great. That definitely was a huge help.
And Melissa might have been the one out. But I feel like I was the fortunate one to get all the support. Because you two were just so phenomenal through that whole period of time for us.
Melissa Milner 04:40
I can't thank you guys enough.
Arielle Mucha 04:42
Well, I, first and foremost, was making sure that you had the time that you needed and also just know how thought of you were at school with the staff and the students. That was most important. And oh my gosh, Tricia, what a year for you two to be co-teaching together. Not only what was going on in the world, but in your own lives.
And Tricia, really, you all planned so in sync, and you had a classroom environment that was set up to where she could step in with those structures that you both had in place. And Patti and I could just support with any materials or planning or prep that we could. And we have our digital planning, our common planning document that helps keep us on pacing.
But just trying to be ahead of the sharing game to support Tricia and just reminding her to use her judgment call for what her class needs at that moment and to go with that. But Tricia, you did an awesome job taking the lead in there.
Tricia Piacentini 05:37
Well, thank you.
Melissa Milner 05:38
Amazing.
Tricia Piacentini 05:39
It was actually a really great experience. I felt lucky to do it. I was pretty tired by the end. I have to say, you guys do so much planning and work. I was so impressed. But I felt really grateful for the experience in some ways. A, because I felt like I could actually do something for Melissa.
Because when that kind of loss happens, you really can't do much for anybody. And I felt like this was a situation where I could actually do something helpful. So that really meant a lot to me to be able to do it and have her not have to worry about it.
Because for those of you who are listeners, I've said it before. I'll say it again. I don't know anybody who works as many hours as Melissa Milner. So I felt like those were very big shoes to fill. But I really felt very lucky to not have the kids feel it.
I think that's always part of what we worry about as teachers, that regardless of what's going on professionally or personally in our lives, we really want the kids at the end of the day to always have a good experience. And I think, thanks to the support of you guys, and certainly the things Melissa had already had in place before I even stepped in that made such a difference for the kids, I was just really grateful for what was such a tough time for Melissa to be not something she had to worry about, or at least I hope she didn't have to worry about.
Patti Beckman 07:07
Yeah, I think that one of the big benefits of the team approach that we have is that we have already that supportive and caring camaraderie environment that had been established. So it wasn't like we had to jump in necessarily. We have this supportive environment already established where we plan together. We share plans. We share our strengths. We share our backgrounds.
And I think because we already had that kind of established, when you needed that time, we were able to say, go. Don't worry. Don't even think about anything at school. Take care of you. This is covered. We can easily share things, because those supports had already been in place.
It wasn't something that we had to plan in a moment's notice. And we had that foundation already established. And I think that helped.
Melissa Milner 08:12
Yeah, I hope anybody who has a loss like that or has to be out because it's just something sudden that they have the support like this. Because it was absolutely unbelievable. Arielle, you mentioned the common planning, the sheet.
Can you just give our listeners an idea? Maybe they're on a team and they want to start planning together. That was your baby that you were like, we're gonna do this. So can you tell more about it?
Arielle Mucha 08:43
Sure. That's something that we had used on our fourth grade team previously, just because we needed that check in. Because things do happen on their own time. And our classes are so unique this year, from sizing, to how we were meeting, to when we were in person, all of those things.
So we had Google Docs, the glory of Google Docs that we all have access to, and being able to have each subject broken down, and being able to note where we are, and then what our plan is coming up, and then being able to fill that in each week. So we have an idea of where we're going. Also, it's a Google Doc and can constantly be edited, which we are always doing.
But that way, we have a reference for anything that we've shared, what we said the next unit is going to be, our pacing, links. And it also helped keep us organized. I also think useful to us this year was having a grade four teacher Google Classroom that made sharing all of those things that we've created for our virtual classrooms and even to use in person, we were able to post and share with each other just at the team level.
That way it was always there. We didn't have to dig through our Shared With Me for those people that are also using Google. We are able to organize our resources there and help each other that way. So between that common planning document that we use each week, which kind of keeps us organized, too, when we're meeting. We talked about math, we talked about reading. Okay, let's talk about writing.
It keeps us on track, but then also sharing and collecting those resources in our teacher Google Classroom I know really helped me across all of the many settings that we were.
Patti Beckman 10:20
Yeah. I constantly look back on it and look at it as a reference.Like alright, I know we planned for this week. What did I say? And what am I supposed to be doing now? We also have last year's, I believe. So we can also look at where we were in prior years and where we are now and compare. Are we on track for where our goals for the end of the year?
Melissa Milner 10:47
Yeah, the idea of having the fourth grade Google Classroom was just like... It's made such a difference. It's so much easier to share. When I do remember to share, I'm like, oh, I just have to go into Google Classroom and post it as an assignment. And you guys will see it. So I love that, too.
Tricia, was it just that we had that system in place, and you had Patti and Arielle that were supportive? Was there anything else, any other people in the school building that helped you or anything else in any other collaborations that helped you through that?
Tricia Piacentini 11:24
I think that pretty much everybody was just-- it's such a wonderful school for that kind of thing. I feel like if we don't see eye to eye with each other or we may have disagreements, in terms of being a community that's supportive, I don't think I have worked anywhere as supportive as Birch Meadow.
So certainly everyone else in the building was willing to help and offer support. If you need things, let me know. Even people just offering to come and cover so I could run to the bathroom, those kinds of things. Just to know that people were there if you needed anything was really, really helpful.
But I will say that I agree with what Patti said. I think that having a strong team and having a lot of collaboration as the standard baseline for operation really is a big part of what carried us through being able to handle something unexpected like that. So that was really great. It really was.
Melissa Milner 12:26
It was. And I'm just thankful that Patti and Arielle already had been doing that. You guys were doing it last year. It was already in place. And you're like, hey, we do it this way. And Tricia and I are like, we will do whatever you want. Coming into a new grade, co-teaching. We were like, we'll do it.
So I started thinking, well, maybe we should do a podcast with the kids. And then I I told Tricia. And Tricia was like, yowza. And this was before we even started the school year. I'm like, maybe we could do a podcast. And it was already kind of a ridiculous school year. And Tricia was really open minded.
We actually talked about it in one of the Adventures in Co-Teaching episodes. She's like, yeah, well, okay. And then she asked questions, and we were able to think of it in one way. And then I was like, why don't we make it fourth grade?
And now I'm wondering if it's going to be the whole school. It might take a couple years to get there. But yeah, so how-- I mean, you guys have been amazing. Arielle, you need to describe the setup in your classroom.
Tricia Piacentini 12:44
Can I just say one other thing, though, Melissa about that? I think that just from a co-teaching perspective, you and I really do plan together. You really keep me in the loop with where you're going with lessons, where you are, and where you're headed next. And we talk about all of that as a whole team, the fourth grade.
So I felt like I wasn't completely out of the loop on what we were doing either. I mean, ordinarily, as a special educator, you sort of get the lessons that you need to modify and deliver those. But truly co-teaching, for us, has meant really planning together, even subjects that I might not be planning or delivering directly, really was a big help.
Arielle Mucha 14:18
Yes, the sound booth! First of all, I have to speak to your idea when you came to us with this. And I remember we were all like, this is at the beginning of the year. And we're looking at teaching fully remote. When are we going to be in person?
And we're just like, okay, I remember-- I know I was like, okay, we could revisit that with some of our projects this year. I just remember being like, I like this. I know that this will engage the kids. And we're like, okay, but how do we sign them all into Zoom was our first step.
But I'm so thrilled and our students are so excited. So the setup in our class, and we have like the rolling carpeted partition while that comes in that Tricia has shared with us from her space that she creates. And then Melissa, your gear, your mic, and what is that called?
Melissa Milner 15:12
Pop filter.
Arielle Mucha 15:14
Pop filter. That's right. I was just telling the kids that, too. I do know the name of it. The pop filter, setting that up in the corner of the room where I have bookshelves. There's kind of a little nook that's pushed back with a countertop. The easel kind of blocks this off. So this is like a little sound booth.
And when the kiddos come back there in their groups of two or three, they feel so important, so special. This is serious business. They've got their scripts planned, and they're ready to record. And the rest of the room, we make sure the fan's down. It is quiet in there.
So this is a setup that when they come in, they are very excited to see. And when they emerge, the other students, whoever's working there, quietly, they start clapping. So it's just the best time in the sound booth. They love it.
Patti Beckman 16:05
Yeah. And Melissa, I have to say thank you for encouraging, especially me, because I probably was one that said I'm feeling overwhelmed. I don't know how to do this. And I don't know what to do. I don't know podcasting. I don't know how to start. I was so worried about it. But you eased my anxiety quite a bit and helped me through it.
And again, the teamwork thing was amazing. Because between everybody else on the team, we got through it in my class. And so I appreciate all that support and help. And the kids were just so excited about doing this, as Arielle said, to feel so grown up and important in the sound booth. And they took so much time and care in presenting. And to listen to them deliver, I said, oh my gosh, I have a classroom full of actors.
They're just so dramatic. The eagerness and the energy that I noticed in them, it just made such a big difference in their work. And it was so interesting and just fun for them to do. So thank you for bringing that to our group.
Arielle Mucha 17:23
Yes. Thank you for being-- you're letting us ask questions. And you've taken so much of that on. And I just thank you, Melissa. Because it's been fun. And like I said, and like Patti said, there's a lot this year. So at first, we were like, wow! But we're using it as a culmination to some projects. It's been a great experience for us and our students.
Tricia Piacentini 17:50
And it's been a really cool alternative. Because all of those traditional culminating activities, having parents come in and see presentations or doing a performance at the all school meeting where all the grades in the whole building come, all of those things aren't possible in COVID.
And so I think that it really is a unique opportunity, sort of the perfect time to introduce it. Because it's a nice way to share the kids' work with their families and with other kids in the building, and maintaining social distancing. So it's a cool alternative for all of those things, as well.
Melissa Milner 18:25
Yeah, that's a good point. I never thought of that.
Patti Beckman 18:28
It's also a really unique way for the kids to present what they know because it's different. And it might accentuate somebody's strengths where writing a paper or doing a project in another way might not be their strength. And this is an area I noticed in some of my kids where they were able to really bloom.
Melissa Milner 18:49
That's wonderful. I love hearing that. I'm on to my next crazy thing, which is I have a big picture vision of, like I said, this being a school wide podcast. And that's bringing in different grade levels. I don't know how it'll work, but we'll see. But that's another whole episode is just like, are we doing it just as when kids are done with the project, they do it?
There's so many different ways. It could be a combination. So some kids are creating four episodes now. We have kids doing book buzzes. We have kids gathering jokes that they want to put. So it's sort of a nice-- it's becoming a combination of things we were doing in the class, and here we can share it on the podcast. And then hey, what else do you want to create? What are you interested in? So that's kind of fun.
But I just love that you guys were like, okay, Melissa. You're putting up with me in such a patient, positive way. Because I'm not good at the details. I'm the big picture person. I'm like, I want to do a podcast. And that's why it's so great to be with--
Arielle Mucha 20:08
Yeah, you've got some details people on this team.
Melissa Milner 20:12
Exactly.
Arielle Mucha 20:15
Looking at you, too, Tricia.
Melissa Milner 20:19
It's ridiculously helpful.
Patti Beckman 20:22
Again, that's another benefit to our close knit team is that when you think about all of us, we all have very different backgrounds. We came from different places. We came from different parts of the country even. And we're just bringing something unique to the party. We each have our own strengths. And providing them and sharing them is just what makes it really, really special.
Tricia Piacentini 20:53
Yeah, well said, Patti.
Arielle Mucha 20:55
Agreed.
Melissa Milner 20:55
Yeah.
Tricia Piacentini 20:55
I think, too, it always feels like-- I always feel very secure in trying something new with this team. Because I know that I'm not in it alone. Do you know? It really is that kind of team if I'm going to try something different. I've tried a lot of new things instructionally this year for me. And I feel a little insecure about some of that. And it's just so nice to be like, well, this worked, or this didn't work, and getting good feedback about how to improve things or what you guys have done.
So funny example is it's hard not to get stuff for the kids. They're working so hard and everything. So Arielle had this awesome activity where we were making catapults. And we did it all basketball themed. It was this whole basketball madness thing. It was very cool. So I found these ping pong balls that looked like basketballs. And I thought, oh, this is awesome.
So I thought, hey, I'm gonna get each kid their own basketball ping pong. And it turned out, not the best idea. So the whole time I'm doing the lesson, the kids are dropping the ping pong and all this stuff. So when I handed off materials to Arielle, I said, every kid having their own ping pong ball was not the best choice.
And she was like, you gave every kid a ping pong ball all at once? I was like, they had a hard time focusing on the lesson a little bit. But in the end, it worked out great. They had a good time. They took them home for vacation and showed their family. So it was fine. But lesson learned, make stations with one ball. So I will never forget that.
So just those kinds of things that I just don't think of doing a whole class as often. It's been really nice to feel like I'm going to try this new thing and run it by my team and see what they think. And oh, everybody has something to offer about how to make it better. And I think it makes me a better teacher. And it's certainly a better experience for the kids. And I feel like that's just so wonderful to have professionally.
Melissa Milner 20:55
Yeah, I feel very, very lucky to be able to work with you guys. It's just incredible. I don't want to take too much more of your time, but I would love to go around. Maybe one word, the key to collaboration. One word, Arielle.
Arielle Mucha 22:57
Oh gosh.
Melissa Milner 23:35
No pressure.
Arielle Mucha 23:37
Let me think. One word?
Melissa Milner 23:39
Don't take my word! No, I'm just kidding.
Arielle Mucha 23:40
Yeah. I know I can come up with something better, but openness, but that's maybe not the word I want. But I'm saying that for right now. I'm saying openness for right now, just being open to new ideas, open to trying new things. But I might change it after we go around.
Tricia Piacentini 24:01
See, I was thinking you just took mine. So that's good.
Melissa Milner 24:05
Patti?
Patti Beckman 24:07
Oh, again, maybe you guys can come up with the word for me. But my thought is that I-- how many times have I used each one of you at some point as a sounding board? Whether I have this idea, or I have a problem, or I have a challenge, or I just need some kind of guide, or I just want to tell you about my day and vent a little bit.
So I think part of it, and it matches with Arielle, because the openness or the acceptance, there's too many words. But I was thinking I was so lucky that I know that I can go to any of you and ask you to listen to me. So I'm gonna change it. I'm gonna say the key is maybe being good listeners.
Arielle Mucha 25:04
Oh, yeah.
Melissa Milner 25:05
Yeah. Nice. Tricia?
Tricia Piacentini 25:09
All right, Patti took mine. Arielle took mine. No, I'm kidding. I'm kidding, I'm kidding. I really feel-- I just think supportive. All the things they're describing are really about being supportive. And I think that there's an ebb and a flow to it, right?
So there are times where some of us are feeling really in a groove with things and sharing things. And then other times, I might be a little bit overwhelmed with the other things I'm doing. And the other team members have something to come. And sort of just everybody, at least to me, seems very at ease with the idea that I don't have to come up with every single thing myself this minute. And so I think the support doesn't seem to have any end.
So you always feel very secure stepping out into something new, or when you're feeling behind and a little bit overwhelmed, that you always know that support's there. And it's just been a phenomenal year for me. It's been one of my best years teaching ever. It really has.
All 26:20
Yay!
Melissa Milner 26:20
Awesome.
Tricia Piacentini 26:22
Yeah, even with these times, I just feel like I've learned so much. And I love working so collaboratively with other teachers. It's really been great,
Melissa Milner 26:32
Oh, man. All right. So everybody took mine. No, that's okay. I have like five more. I can't decide between flexibility and humor. I'm going to go with humor, because that's one thing that I think is great about us. We'll be talking. And we'll be like, wait a minute, what? And then we'll just start laughing at each other in a nice way.
But I think the humor helps us get through some of the stress of the day and confusion. And when I mess up and heard something wrong-- we were just talking in the hallway today. I'm like, oh, I was supposed to pace it differently so we could switch books. And oh, man. And we just looked at each other and were like, whatever. It doesn't matter.
We all seem to have a good perspective on what's important. We're flexible, and we just understand the humor and just being able to just laugh at ourselves and each other.
Arielle Mucha 27:35
Which circles back to openness. So I'm feeling comfortable with that, because my next was supportive.
Melissa Milner 27:41
And scene. All right, I don't want to keep you any longer. But was there anything else anybody was dying to talk about tonight when we did this? Cricket, cricket.
Tricia Piacentini 27:57
I think we were all not knowing what to expect.
Arielle Mucha 28:00
Exactly.
Patti Beckman 28:01
Sorta like, well, we'll just see what happens.
Melissa Milner 28:04
Yeah.
Arielle Mucha 28:05
This was fun, though.
Patti Beckman 28:07
Yeah, it was nice to have a conversation.
Arielle Mucha 28:10
And it's nice to look back from the end of May and just think about what this year was, and how we we did get together as a team, and how we supported each other through that. And you can look for those hardships on a global level and all the way down to our personal lives, and also the great things that happened. So I'm really thankful to share those with you guys.
Melissa Milner 28:10
Yeah, I didn't want to do question and answer, question and answer. That's not how we roll.
Tricia Piacentini 28:38
I think the thing that really sticks with me is that you hear all this buzz about how this is the last year for kids, and kids have lost a year. And I don't feel like that's been the case for any of our fourth graders. I feel like this has been a very positive year. The kids have moved forward. It was a different kind of year.
But as I write my progress reports, or I write new IEPs, or we look at benchmarks for reading, these kids have all moved forward. It feels really good. I don't feel like it's a lost year. And that gets my dander up a little bit when I hear that. Because it's just not true. It's just not true. That's not to say that-- I can't imagine early childhood has had the same experience we've had, that has had the same experience as middle school or high school.
But for our experience right here where we are, I feel like it's been really positive, and the kids have done well, and they've seemed happy. And that feels really good. Because that was my worst fear going into this year is that kids would not have a good or meaningful experience while we were trying to figure everything out.
And I honestly, in my heart, feel like they have. I can live with that, regardless of whatever didn't happen this year that we wished had. If that's how we're leaving the year with these kids, then that's going to be enough for me. And it feels really good.
Arielle Mucha 30:07
I agree. Yay!
Melissa Milner 30:09
What a great way to end. Yay!
Patti Beckman 30:11
Yeah, I agree, too. And I think that, despite all the challenges for us and for the kids, first of all, when you look at the kids, they really just overcame those hurdles and approached every day like, I'm going to do this. They did a great job. And then again, just as far as the team is concerned, the encouragement, the creativity, and the sharing of ideas was just what made this year successful, as successful as it was.
Melissa Milner 30:47
I can't thank you enough for taking time out on a Tuesday afternoon after teaching all day. That's just the way you guys roll. You're always willing to help out. And we just appreciate having awesome guests like you on our little episode. So thank you so much.
Tricia Piacentini 31:07
Thank you, guys.
Patti Beckman 31:08
Thank you. It was so much fun.
Arielle Mucha 31:11
Thanks for having us.
Melissa Milner 31:14
If you enjoyed this episode and have not done so already, please hit the subscribe button for The Teacher As... podcast so you can get future episodes. For my blog, transcripts of this episode and links to any resources mentioned, visit my website at www.TheTeacherAs.com. My contact information for Twitter, Facebook and Instagram are also on this site.
I am sending a special thanks to Linda and Lester Fleishman, my mom and dad, for being so supportive. They are the voices you hear in the Zooming In soundbite. And my dad composed and performed the background music you are listening to right now. My intro music was "Upbeat Party" by Scott Holmes.
So what are you zooming in on? I would love to hear from you. My hope is that we all share what we are doing in the classroom in order to teach, remind, affirm and inspire each other. Thanks for listening. And that's a wrap!