difficulty with shared office space
How do you go about creating a neat and organized work area when the instructor you are sharing the space with is not cooperative or organized?
Virginia, What great recommendations! Thanks for sharing. I love color coding, it helps a lot. Just be sure to check with your office mates to ensure that everyone who you share with is able to see color and is not colorblind. Note, if color doesn't work, other coding systems like symbols and imagery can work well too.
Dr. Melissa Read
Try to define your work area. Use your own files, drawers, etc. Color coding may define your class(es) from the other instructor. Label your files.
Discuss methods that encourage cooperation--that may save your and the other instructor time, make work easier, or help you both find things better.
On our campus, shared office space is the norm. The major difficulties occur when the instructors are from different concentrations such as medical assisting and paralegal share office areas. Some programs require larger storage areas and accordingly, some attention should be directed toward compatibility of programs.
Bobbi, Great question. It's a tough challenge, and one that many instructors face. As a first step, I recommend working with your office mate to define out a little personal space in the shared office. Perhaps you can claim a cabinet, whiteboard or desk. This gives you an area that you have control over and that you can utilize to stay organized!
Dr. Melissa Read
