What would you do to repair things? ...or just let them heal on their own?

[liberalitch]

I have a problem with a co-worker
We're both teachers, I like her a great deal but at the start of the semester we had something happen that made things "tense"
She is also my department head.... in the social studies dept.
At the start of the semester I got "stuck" with three restart classes (these are all classes of kids who have repeatedly failed geography a.... most of them are REAL behavior problems.... but I'm used to that and it is another story). I should say her and the "barbie doll" assistant principal stuck me with them. If it weren't for my AP US History classes this semester I would go out of my mind.

ANYWHO.... when it first happened I reacted, shall we say, adversly.... I told them that the restart should be spread out between all three geography teachers.... not just dropped on one. I am the type of person who VENTS (like a smoke stack) but then I get down to work and it's all good.... BUT.... My relationship with my dept head is now tense. It has improved over the past few weeks but still not back to where we started and I wish we were. Should I try to reach out or just let time heal all wounds?

.... My restart kids are doing great by the way

[Dave Reynolds]

1. Sometimes time can hide a festering infection in the wound.

It may be better to reach out, but only you know if that is possible or not.

Glad the kids are doing fine.

[liberalitch]

2. It may be difficult to get her alone.....

[hatredisnotavalue]

3. I would reach out

And reach out way pass the stage you were initially.

Find out what she likes to do out of class. If she likes plays, ask her if she would like to attend one with you. Or got shopping or out for an afternoon of shopping. Your last shared experience was the one which set up the tenseness.

Get a new shared experience, something fun, and you should be okay with her.

My two cents. :)

[liberalitch]

4. and a valuable two cents it is....

we have gone together to the barnes and noble to raid the bargain tables together on teacher workdays....
right before we all left today she joined in the "static electric shock" fight that I was having with a student and a rookie teacher.... there was laughter and smiling so I felt a little better.
We all had to laugh as the student said "This isn't fair yo! Mr. Rodriguez (science) knows how to build up too good a shock!"

[SoCalDem]

5. Sometimes less is better

If your kids are doing well, and you have calmed down, things should work out on their own,. To re-plow old ground may just stir up dust.. For all you know, she may have put it behind already, and dredging it up now might make you look like you were kissing ass.. You had a legitimate beef, you aired it, and moved on.. There's little more TO do.

At the end of the assignment, you could send her a note "thanking" her for sending the kids to YOU because she obviously TRUSTED you to turn them around, and the test scores proved that you were up to the task.

And a hopeful suggestion that you will be able to SHARE the opportunity with other teachers if the situation presents itself in the future...

Keep a copy for documentation of your good natured acceptance of the situation:)