The holiday season is upon us, which means it’s time to watch the latest trailers for next year’s big superhero movies.

First up is Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, opening in theaters March 25, 2016.

Soon after comes Captain America: Civil War, hitting the big screens May 6, 2016.

Notice any trends?  Take a look again at these images:

 

That’s right folks, 2016 is the year of the superhero stare-down.

Oh yeah.  It’s also the year of superhero versus superhero.  Sounds fun, yes?  (Almost as fun as a stare-down contest.  Hulk make puny human blink!)

Heroes fighting heroes is nothing new.  They’ve been doing it in comic books for decades.  That’s how Wolverine and the Hulk first met, back in The Incredible Hulk #181, published November 1974.

Marvel and DC Comics have occasionally joined forces to have their heroes fight it out, most memorably in 2003-2004’s JLA/Avengers mini-series.

 

Some of the previous films have already included minor skirmishes, too, such as Iron Man and War Machine in Iron Man 2 (life lesson: don’t drink and don an Iron Man suit).

 

Marvel’s “big three” heroes–Iron Man, Thor, and Captain America–first share the screen after a fracas in the first Avengers movie:

 

Then we also have Iron Man vs. Hulk in the second Avengers movie (Age of Ultron), which kicks things up a notch.

 

There’s no mystery why these fights occur.  Heroes duking it out with each other is loads of fun to watch.  And most of the time, they eventually work out their differences to defeat the REAL bad guys.

Heroes versus heroes is dangerous and entertaining, and the same is true for teachers versus teachers–but not in a good way.

Given the pressures involved with teaching, disagreements are bound to arise from time to time.  We don’t always see eye-to-eye when it comes to assessments, curriculum, scheduling, resources, management and discipline, and more.  Heck, there may even be some colleagues in your building or department that rub you the wrong way.

As teachers we must not allow friction to fester.  Ongoing bickering is noticeable and results in classroom snickering. Dampen combustible situations with grace and good-natured humor.  “Lie low” when you need to.

Resist the urge to blow off steam in front of your students. Avoid any gossip or rumor-mongering by students and staff alike.  Speak highly of your colleagues in front of others, pointing out strengths and past successes.

Here are some other resources for fostering positive relationships with your co-workers:

The website We Are Teachers has an eye-catching blogpost entitled “How to Get Along with ANY Teaching Colleague (From the Whiners to the Kiss Ups!)”  Of course, it’s important to consider what kind of colleague you become on your not-so-good days.  Personally, I’ve been known to be the “negative Nancy” (Ned) during grouchy times.

The Association of Teachers and Lecturers (of the United Kingdom) has a helpful guide for new and beginning teachers.  Some useful advice includes “staffroom etiquette” and what to do if you have concerns about colleagues.

The National Education Association (NEA) provides ideas for building collaboration in your classroom via co-teaching.  Instead of negative energy, co-teaching harnesses positive teacher relationships and teamwork for successful student learning.

For a more in-depth examination, take a look at the book Teachers Working Together by Mario Martinez.  For a quick view, You can find excerpts here courtesy of Google Books.

 

Hopefully these resources will provide you with inspiration and information on getting along with your fellow educators.

And if it’s just inspiration you need, remember the current holiday season and do your part to bring . . .