I am wondering if someone can suggest to me how to change my thinking about this situation. I co-teach prekindergarten and the teacher I work with does almost nothing. I do all of the planning, researching curriculum ideas, preparing materials,etc. and 90% of the teaching. My coworker is a nice person but after working with her for a few years, I have come to see that she plays people for what she can get from them. She constantly copies my ideas into her plan book. She says she wants to have them in case I ever leave the school. So I do the work, and she reaps the benefits. My coworker has become a close friend of the director. I found out inadvertently that she was given a higher raise than me and that was upsetting. I approached the boss about this and she said she could understand how I feel, and would think about it. That was 2 months ago and my boss has not gotten back to me, and I don't expect that she will. The money is not even the point. It is just the principal of the thing. I have tried to not let this bother me, but it does. Can anyone offer a suggestion on how I can think about this unfair situation in a different way? I find I am still feeling resentful about it. Thank you.

[Bertie]

Stop it. Stop letting her treat you this way. You do not co-teach with her, you teach and she is a lazy secretary who copies things down. Stop sharing your ideas. Split the classes or the subjects and say "I'll plan this half of the work, you plan this half". Or split the weeks - her week to plan and organize, then yours. Please stop letting her use you like that. She is obviously quite a manipulator if she's got both you and the director doing everything for her without contributing. Did I already say "Stop!"

[MissESL]

Guard your planbook...don't let her take the ideas. Say you'd love for her to come up with such and such for a week...etc. Push her to be independent, without letting this show It's possibly you can...'guide' her into being a better teacher. Good luck!

just want to make me scream! And how do they always seem to get ahead at work!!! AHAHHH!

I agree w/ pp who said stop enabling her.

I say do your own planning and keep your materials for yourself. BUT...if you have to share the planning (by directive of p directly)....then

I would have a little meeting w/ her (can a p or vp sit in on this??). Let her know that your life has gotten busier and you no longer have time to do all the planning and preparing for the classes (yup, I'd say it just like that). so you propose that this (have it written down) schedule be implemented to take turns planning. I would do it in one week blocks. Finish this week and she can do next week. Do not help her on her week w/ materials, etc. You have given her enough.

If she falls through on her weeks be prepared w/ your own plans AND DO NOT SHARE THEM, let her know this is her week and she didn't do it so she'll have to do it next week. If this becomes a problem go to the p w/ it and the PROOF.

I am not a reg. teacher, but that is my advice. I'd much prefer to do my own thing and I think that is what you should do. She has mooched and stabbed you long enough. JMHO.

[Quatro]

You need to ask boss about the raise again. Also you may just need to look for another job. Ms.Do Nothing is getting by with this behavior and I don't see it stopping on its own. You could ask her before she asks you what she is doing for her next unit and you would love to see her ideas. You could also tell her that you need to focus on your own class and don't have time this week to share. Don't call it planning call it "sharing". If you are bold you could call her out and tell her point that the free ride is over.
I had my plan book stolen(yes stolen) by a lazy coworker. Her version was that she was just "taking a peek" while I was absent but her plans matched mine to the last letter. Later she was asked to resign she had other things going on as well.

[Lov2TeachKids]

I agree that you definitely need to bring up the raise with your boss again.
Keep your plans and anything you do away from her. It isn't fair that you put in all the work, and she sits there doing absolutely nothing! I understand your feelings!
You should try and discuss this issue with her befoe it eats away at you even more.

[dellminiwhite]

lazy!!!! I work with a teacher just like this. As others have said, stop helping her and let her plan and do her share of the work. We finally had a talk with our lazy person, she cried. Some people just do not get it. I am to the point that I do not even talk to my team teacher, and the other 3 have also done the same. (Ours blew up at us during our Fall Festival). We hope she will get the point, and just start doing what she is suppose to do. You might have to have a talk with her, and say, can you begin to start sharing your ideas with us!!! It is frustrating, and basically if you stop sharing your great ideas, she may get the message.