Love is in the air this week as Valentine’s brings couples together in the halls and classrooms.
But for some teachers, love is always right down the hall since they work with their spouse. While some people may assume that it would be hard to share the same workspace and living space, many couples would disagree. Whether in the same hall or different buildings, they all seem to have a mutual agreement that working together is a very nice thing.
There are a lot of elements that make working together exciting, whether it is commuting to school together, sharing experiences, or catching a glimpse of each other in the hallway. It is always something that brings couples together.
“Being able to take one vehicle to and from work is super convenient,” English teacher Christopher Slovak said. “It’s also really easy to get in touch with one another if we need to throughout the day. We know all the same people which makes hanging out with friends that much better.”
Working together means a shared experience on good days and bad days alike.
“I think one of the biggest benefits is having someone here who completely understands when I might be struggling with something,” Slovak said. “She can easily help to put me at ease and make things better. Really it would be weird not working together. My wife is my best friend – who wouldn’t like working with their best friend?”
Couples are able to learn from each other and grow with the complications that working and home life may have together. However despite the hardships, many wouldn’t change it for a thing, and instead have found ways to make it pleasant.
“I enjoy being able to bounce ideas off of him for my classes in real-time,” history teacher Whitney Van Cleave said. “I also think that it allows us to be aware of how each other is doing and how the stresses of being a teacher may be impacting us each day.”
When days to day life gets tough, it helps to have a partner right down the hall.
“It also helps to work in the same place because of our daughter, Amelia, and her medical needs,” Van Cleve said. “She has epilepsy and other medical conditions that stem from her epilepsy diagnosis and her health is something that could change at any time so we take things day by day. If something happens with her health, both Mr. Van Cleave and I are able to coordinate her care and anything else we need to do for her in real-time without having to talk to each other on the phone or through a third party. This provides both of us peace of mind when it comes to our daughter and her care each day while we are at work.”
Many people may contradict the idea that working together causes problems within the workforce, but time and time again many couples have proven that it is one of the most strengthening things to their relationships. Being able to have a professional relationship aside from a private one allows for their relationship to grow stronger.
“I truly enjoy working with my wife,” CTE teacher Yonne McHenry said. “We have always had such a great partnership, and it’s wonderful to see her after every period in the hallways, during lunch, and as we travel to and from school. Sharing the same workspace adds another layer of connection to our relationship.”
