While you are busy getting down to the nitty gritty of who, what and when - don't forget to devote time and energy to building your relationship with your partner. This may seem like something that will 'just happen' by itself, but the experiences of partners in Creative Victoria's programs shows that this is not the case.
Tips for a satisfying and enjoyable partnership relationship:
At an initial meeting suggest that you each take five minutes to share what you are personally hoping to get from the project
In the same way that you might discuss bills and housekeeping preferences with a potential flatmate, discuss potentially tricky issues in advance with your partner. If you have prior agreement on things like student behaviour management, use of facilities and task sharing you are less likely to have problems later
Be honest when things aren't working for you. Try to identify what the issue is and work with your partner to identify ways to resolve it
Participate as much as you can. Don't assume your partner has all the expertise. Teachers can contribute creative ideas just as artists can contribute ideas for learning
Planning Tools:
- #11 Your Partnering Style DOCX, 151.2 KB
- #12 Hairy Questions: Good Topics for Avoiding Problems DOCX, 146.3 KB
Students have developed a real understanding of the value of taking risks and being a participant rather than a bystander.
- Deanne, teacher