Work Besties Who Podcast
Benefits of having a workplace bestie:
From collaboration, support, productivity, and friendly competition, to laughter... these are just a few values of having close working friendships.
As we talk to people from different industries, we'll learn about the different types of friendships and the value they bring, all within the span of a workday."
Work Besties:-)
Work Besties Who Podcast
Walking & Talking : Renee & Christine
Christine and Renee, two vibrant teachers from New Jersey, turn their daily walks into lively sessions of laughter and connection. As they share classroom triumphs and funny mishaps, their friendship becomes a vital source of emotional support in the challenging world of middle school special education.
Through their chats, they highlight the importance of trust and vulnerability, fostering a positive atmosphere for themselves and their students.
Their bond is a joyful reminder that strong workplace relationships can transform challenges into opportunities for growth, making each walk a delightful adventure!
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Work Besties! Theme Song Written by Ralph Lentini @therallyband
Hi, I'm Claude and I'm Jess. We are corporate employees by day, entrepreneurs by night and work besties for life.
Jess:Join us as we explore how work besties lift each other up, laugh through the chaos and thrive together in every industry. Work besties Welcome everybody. Today we have a very exciting lineup. We have two individuals, christine and Renee, that I have met through a mutual friend. I don't want to give away any details on them and their work-life situation, so I'm going to actually let them introduce themselves, christine.
Christine:So my name is Christine and I live and teach in New Jersey and I've been teaching well, I have been teaching for probably about 25 years, but I took a break to have my children and then, when my youngest was about a year old, I went back and have been back ever since and it's been great Renee. What about?
Renee:you, I'm also teaching. I also live in New Jersey, work in New Jersey. I obviously work with Christine and I've been in that school for I think this is my 26th year, 27th maybe. So we're definitely like you know we were talking about this we're like definitely the senior teachers. We don't feel that way, but you know, we have all these new, fresh faces coming in and we're like, wow, we've been here quite a while. I teach sixth grade. It's a middle school, so I teach sixth grade mostly um, special ed, english, uh, and I do resource room, uh, replacement classes, but I also do in-class support classes where I team teach with another. You know we co-teach together with another. You know, general education teacher.
Jess:Well, first, before we get into your relationships, thank you both for being teachers, and in a middle school that's the toughest age for kids. Bless your heart, yes, so thank you for that. So why don't you guys tell us a little bit about your two relationship and how you guys became work besties? I'll start.
Christine:So I came to this district about 12 years ago and I was first in the elementary school and our supervisor because we're both special ed teachers asked if I would move to the middle school and since I had been in a middle school at my old, my old district, I just said, sure, I'll go. And it was the summertime, we had curriculum writing, we had curriculum writing and I remember, you know, walking into one of the schools where we were doing the curriculum writing and all these middle school teachers special ed middle school teachers were there.
Claude:And I sat down and I sat down next to Renee and we immediately just hit it off. What was that special moment that really made you hit off Right, because it's not always immediately just hit it off. What was that special moment that really made you hit off right, because it's not always. Yeah, was that the special, like you know, like comment that was made and you laugh, or what was that special feeling?
Jess:What kind of spurred it?
Christine:Well, I think it was just like during that curriculum writing, renee and I went on a walk and it's just like we didn't even know each other and we went on this long walk and the conversation was just so free flowing, even though she has two kids and I actually have seven kids, and there's just things that are different about us. There was a lot of common ground and we could kind of you know, like that, I guess so I agree, that's what we met at that you know, curriculum writing, uh, workshop.
Renee:And again she sat next to me and we just yeah, again just started talking. And as teachers, we meet people daily, you know, on a daily basis, teachers from different schools and we have so many workshops, but it's something clicked or connected and yeah, it was weird because we walked on that very first you know day we met and we've been walking together ever since. It's funny because we're known for, you know, I guess when we get in more into like what we do at school, I mean during our breaks, like we plan out like when we can have our, you know our time to walk, and then, even in the summer or whenever we can, we try to like and we don't live, you know, near each other, but we try to meet in the halfway point and meet to walk. So that's like our thing, that's our thing.
Claude:So even you know when you're not at school you're going to meet and do your Sometimes.
Renee:Yeah, I mean it's not. It's you know, when you're not at school you're going to meet and do your. Sometimes yeah, I mean it not, it's just like we have a routine like a regular, like every saturday, but anytime, like if we just kind of spur the moment, I'll text her. I'm like what are you doing it? You know, do you have free time between 9 and 11? And sometimes she's like nope, I'm have a dentist appointment or something. But sometimes she's like sure, I'll get in the car and I'll meet you. So and then we meet at like a park, usually like halfway, and we do some laps around the park and catch up on all of the stuff.
Jess:All the stuff that's so fun. What a nice way to like, connect and just continue your bond Well at school.
Renee:We I mean, we've been working together I don't know how many years and we always met and we don't have the same schedule. We teach different times and different students. Sometimes we have similar same students, but we always manage to find the one period that we have a free period and we take advantage of that and if it's bad weather, we walk in the school and we walk around the school. We walk up and down the stairs, we go and people see us and I think that's what we're known for, you know. And or we go outside and we take our phone and make sure we're back at the right time and we do like a little loop around the neighborhood of the school that we walk and sometimes, if it's a half day or a shortened period, we got to. We're like whoops, we got to get back, we got to get back, yeah, but that's like, you know, our thing.
Jess:And what do the other people in your school say or think about your connection?
Christine:Well, we used to have this, this assistant principal. He left a couple of years ago and he would always make fun of us. It was not in a good way. He.
Jess:Like a lighthearted way, right. I think a lot of people just a lighthearted way.
Renee:Yeah, yeah, he's like there again, or like he would make it like a little funny comment, a little jab like oh boy, like oh boy here comes trouble.
Christine:Yeah, you know, and we walk really fast. So even if we're just walking in the school, people stop and they're like oh, we know, you're getting your steps in, you're trying to close your rings, and I think some people might envy the you know, the camaraderie that we have.
Jess:Yeah, I was going to say our mutual friend that we have. When I told her about this podcast that we were doing, she instantly thought of you two and made the comment how she has never experienced two individuals that are just so in sync with each other and just seem to almost vibrate off of each other and bring such positivity to the rest of the school because of it. So it's great to see and hear from your examples how that comes to life.
Christine:The first couple of years that I worked at the school, renee and I were together, so we actually shared a room and I think our principal put us together because Renee kind of like showed me the ropes and kind of I got to understand the school culture through Renee. And I have to say like I was just like today reflecting back on our first classroom and it became like because there was like things going on in our lives, our personal lives, that room became such a sanctuary for us and we had it decorated so nice and the heat was always blasting and it was like you just walk in there and it was so welcoming but the heat was almost like a warm blanket because we needed it and you know, we were just so blessed to have each other during, you know especially during that time.
Claude:It's really beautiful what you're just saying and this color murdery and having in this room where their impact of your friendship was it impacting the kids and the kids' behavior, that they really understood and embraced it.
Renee:I think we you know, just jumping on what Christine said about that first time we shared a room, because then there were many years that we didn't like we would just have to find each other. You know there were like deaths in the family, divorce, cancer, all kinds of stuff, family trauma like, and you know we were there for each other. And then we had to teach. Like things would happen in the morning and we'd have this like quick 10 minute debriefing of like what happened last night or what just happened this morning on the way to school, and then you have to like as a teacher, right, compose yourself. And you got to be on. You know there's no hiding behind a cubicle, you know if you have a bad day at home. So we were there for each other to support one another during that time.
Renee:So, yes, I think the kids could see that we were, that the fact that we had each other support each other. Then we were okay to start the day and put on our teacher face and teacher here and teacher hat and you know, and do what we needed to do for our job. But and then when we didn't share, I mean we were really sad when we they split us up, but we always managed to find each other, like I said. I mean our periods are always a class and the schedule changes every year, especially for special ed. I mean I've worked with different teachers, I've been in different rooms, um, and then just the fact that we could always find each other and then still be there for one another, with all of the ups and downs of uh life, uh, it really does help in the work environment. It helps you work, be a better teacher.
Christine:Yeah definitely.
Jess:That's amazing, that's great. So I'm sure others see you and are probably a little envious. Do you ever try and encourage other teachers to find that walking partner as well, or whatever connection they can?
Christine:I definitely think that we've set a great example. I mean, we've had a big push the past couple of years of SEL, which is social, emotional learning for the students but also for the teacher. You know teacher wellness. So you know we just doing that is just really part of our teacher wellness. And other teachers have seen us and I've seen, you know, some other teachers walking together and even on those really cold days, you know we'll be walking in because it's a period change and they'll be like looking at us and I'm just like you got to get out there, it's so, it's cold and it's like so invigorating, and then, and they, they do it, you know.
Claude:So I think our positivity really shines through so quick question what do you love about each other?
Jess:What do you love about each other?
Christine:I just I love Renee's authenticity and she's tough, she's really tough, you know, like she. She's really good and she's just so real and she's just so easy to work with and she just says it like it, like it is, and I'm, you know, a little bit more like reserved, but Renee really, just, you know she doesn't put a tooth in it that's what the Irish people say. She does it in a good way, you know, in a, really in a, in a respectful, calm way, and I just love her got like her authenticity, her realness.
Renee:She's just an amazing, strong, um, you know, inspiration now it's funny because that's the only thing I disagree with. I don't feel I'm tough at all. I feel like I'm like this weak link. Like you know, I try to, you know, stay under the radar at school. I try not to make any waves but I guess, yeah, like I mean, been through a lot, so try to be, you know, strong about those things. But you know, I love the fact that Christine and I could, like you said before, it seems like we kind of bounce off each other.
Renee:I don't know what somebody described that Like we we don't go out that often like outside of school, right, except for we walk. But then we, you know, but this summer we said we were going to go to the beach and it was like the second to the last week of August, and we're like we got to do it, let's go, and everything we do is like we're easy with it, like no one's saying go this way, or I don't want to coffee, or I don't want to walk here, right, right, christine, we just kind of like got in the car and you know she wanted to park here and we parked, we walked a little and then we got into the beach and sat on the beach. We just did everything in sync together, without a plan and without like not that we would argue about it, but it was like almost like we had the exact same agenda and we just kind of make it work without really saying too much Right, without really making too much of a plan.
Christine:This year. This year, we're going to be rooming together again. It's just incredible. We don't know what happened.
Renee:We couldn't believe we were like it's too good to be true. We were just in shock. Stars aligned and you're back together Right right and I hope that rides us through retirement Right.
Christine:To the end, hopefully.
Renee:Yeah, so it's. It is nice to have a really good friend at work, you know, because work, you know work's not always easy.
Jess:No.
Renee:Life's not always easy. Home life is not always easy, and it's nice to have somebody there, you know, for support and encouragement. Yeah, and you both kind of understand where you're coming from.
Jess:Right, Like you both get, you know you're dealing with similar situations, similar parents, so you definitely can help each other we both really care about our students.
Christine:We love our students and we work hard while we're there, and we definitely both do like to fly under the radar not to make too many waves.
Christine:And we don't take our work home. There's just some teachers who it's all their job is all consuming. But I think we have a really good balance. We don't take our work home, you know, there's just some teachers who, like it's all, like their job is all consuming. But you know, I think we have a really good balance between you know, because we have a lot going on at home, so we're moms first.
Renee:Right, the only thing we I realized it just came to me that we do talk about it's not always like know we talk about what we're gonna make for dinner, right oh wait. So like it's funny because we both go food shopping on the weekend. So I'm like, what did you buy? And we both go to shop, right. So we ask about the sales. She's like, oh, I got the corn for you know, it's 10 for you know, whatever I'm like oh, I got that too right, and um, and I'm like what would you make with it?
Renee:and then, like you know, we try to, you know meal prep, so she'll talk about like what you know she made, and then she's like I'll have to her famous, I'm gonna send you the recipe. You're gonna love it and you know. So we. It's funny because we talk about that. It seems to be almost daily, right, christina? Yeah.
Christine:We're like modern throwbacks, you know, we just really Just.
Claude:Yeah.
Christine:I know, we really yeah, you know, I think we're like old school and where we come from is very important to us.
Jess:OK, I feel like you guys should make a cookbook.
Claude:Yeah, work, vestige, work, vestige, cookbook. Who can teach you?
Renee:how to cook. Yeah, it's true, it's so cool. I think we are like old school, old fashioned in some respect, with our family values and sitting down and making a dinner, sitting down with our kids when they're home, right, respecting parents. I mean, christine's parents have passed away, but she's very, very respectful to her husband's parents. Parents are both alive and they're 90. So she's very as a daughter-in-law. She sees them a couple times a week, makes them dinner, and I do the same for my mom my mom she lives alone.
Renee:She likes to cook still, but I make it a point for my kids to visit her, so we definitely have those family thousands that we really connect to as well.
Claude:Yeah, and that's what you can. Your connection, that must be a big part of it.
Christine:Yes, definitely.
Jess:So, knowing you guys have such a strong connection, curious if you guys so you work together now and now you're going to be in the same classroom together now and and now you're going to be in the same classroom. Um, I'm, I'm curious from your perspective as you guys chatted about what you love about each other. What is it about your friendship and relationship that's so different compared to other ones?
Christine:oh, that's a good one, thanks, really thought hard on that one yeah, I mean I guess you know it's, it's friendships are funny because you know I've often heard there's like friends for a reason, friends for a season. You know there's that adage I don't really know how it goes and you know I mean I have like I have a friend from you, so it's just really nice to have like Renee as a constant. You know, because the daily grind is, is is it can be rough, you know, but it's just really great to just know that she's going to be there when I get to work.
Claude:And you, renee, what about you? Like the difference?
Renee:I share certain things with Christine that I really don't share with anybody else. When it comes to some you know issues that you know I've had to deal with Because I know that she will be just like a neutral ear. You know she'll just listen, and without judgment. You know we all make mistakes, so if I feel like, you know I'm like I'm a terrible mom you know, like you know, she said, have said you know similar things to me.
Renee:You know, like I, you know, I feel like I'm not doing my. You know all, I'm doing it all and I feel still look like I'm. You know, sometimes we don't feel like we're doing enough Right, we always feel like we have to do so much and we, you know, you know, between you know work and home and and everything Right, and we always try to just kind of say, no, you're doing the best you can, right, and Christine will always be there and say no, you're doing the best you can. Another thing Christine is very spiritual, which is calming, because sometimes, you know, you can really get wrapped up in like the like or like the anger, or just like your level of like. You know, anxiety is like a blur and Christine always finds strength in her faith and I really admire her for that.
Jess:And Christine always finds strength in her faith and I really admire her for that, and she helps me, you know you definitely need somebody in your life and it's great when it's your work, bestie, so you can see them all the time but you definitely need somebody that can one remind you that, yes, you're good enough and what you're doing right now is probably more than you're anticipating or thinking. But then, yes, also somebody who can ground you and say, like, take that moment, meditate, take a deep breath. Right, you are more important than this individual element that's going on, and it sounds like you're a favorite line. It sounds like she're going to your favorite line. It sounds, it sounds like she says this every episode. It kind of sounds like you guys are a little bit like you're. There's similarities, for sure. Right, you talked about. You both love to cook, you both are avid walkers and supportive of each other, but it sounds like you're a little bit of a yin and a yang. You have different personalities and you definitely compliment each other. I stole your line.
Claude:I was waiting for you to say it. I'm afraid of saying it now. What about trust?
Jess:oh yes, you want to bring that. So, yeah, where we were going with that is. You do hear a lot of common themes around work, besties and what, what value they have, not just to your organization and the productivity. So I'm sure your kids, whether you guys see it or not, I'm sure your kids see it and how close you guys are and what positivity you bring to the classrooms. But the other thing that's impressive too is how much it helps you as an individual and as a worker. One of the things that Claude's bringing up is the level of trust really needs to be there with your work and um.
Christine:Go ahead. Things that you have to do as a teacher in our in our building, is that you need to teach in front of another teacher because you share a room and they're on a prep and you know you, and you're like, oh my gosh, they're judging me. You know they're. They're judging my, you know my classroom management skills, they're judging my teaching ability and and I just had to had to let that go and I've, I've, I continue to have to let that go. But I also think that it makes you a better teacher when you have someone who's maybe not technically keeping you accountable, but you know there's another person in the room, there's another adult, and you want to, you know, be your best for the students, but you know you want to just be your best for that other person too, definitely.
Jess:Yeah, I would assume it kind of helps. Um, just helps remind you of, like, what you're doing there, and having that other person has got to make you feel like you've got that level of trust and support if anything does go differently than you're anticipating.
Christine:Right, but I have to say that, just having Renee around this year, we weren't together. Well, we haven't been together in a number of years and there's just things that like grades and SGOs and PDPs, all this alphabet, you know, alphabet soup that we have as teachers and you know, and I'm like I don't have Renee to tell me, I don't even know when grades are due. You know, and I don't even I forget how to post my grades and it's just so great to have Renee, I'm so happy that you know.
Renee:We'll keep each other in the in the know, you know, this year I feel like I know I can do it myself, right, christine? We've said this every year. We have the same thing to do, like set up the grade book, set up google classroom right, I do the SGO right, and it's like I'm handicapped, like it's like I have to wait for Christine to you know, and and she also said well, I didn't do it yet either, and it's almost like I have to have her side right by my side.
Jess:I feel like you guys are that um, that meme. It's mostly from like uh corporate office off uh office situations where they're both like using a mouse together oh yeah they're both like typing an email and it's like each person has one hand on the computer. That seems like you two.
Renee:You're like that close, you do everything we're just, it's ridiculous, because even just the other day she's like all right, I'm, I just learned canva and I'm going to show you how to do put it on your classroom. So I'm like, oh, all right, I'm not going to do my google classroom yet till christine shows me how to put canva on, like I mean it's like of course I'm doing it all.
Jess:I learned how to do it and I said I can't wait to show renee how to do this, but that's the value also of having somebody that you're so close with at work that you feel that comfort level to be like you take the strength of each other, yeah, yeah, you know, which means you're both stronger exactly what would you say to the future generation?
Claude:the importance and of having a work bestie and how to find them? You?
Renee:see when I talk about, you know, our kids, right, and the difference with the. They're going, you know, into the workforce and how different it is, right. Right, I mean because of, you know, cell phones and social media and all that, right. So sometimes it's harder for them to make these connections because the communication is lost. I mean, they're texting each other, they're Snapchatting each other, they're on Instagram, but are they really, like you know, sitting down and having a conversation? You know we as adults are able to do that, like you know, sitting down and having a conversation. You know we as adults are able to do that because you know we've grown up that way. But so the new teachers coming in, you know, I feel like, yeah, they're going to, they'll definitely be able to interact with their colleagues and students, but they have a different background, right, a different, and especially the even younger ones, they feel like it'll be more difficult. We had a discussion about how a lot of these new jobs are all virtual.
Renee:Right, I mean, a lot of them are coming out of college and then they're like oh, I have a you know a job. That's you know, five days a week. I'm at home working Right, you know, at home working. So you're not learning the social skills, You're not learning the interpersonal skills, You're not meeting people face-to-face, You're not getting dressed up and showering and going out there and out of your house. So it's going to be challenging for some of those. I really feel it's difficult.
Jess:Right, which we feel like some of the things that we've been either hearing through other guests or even ourselves is, and that's why we started this was because we are trying to encourage the younger generation to take the time to just grab a coffee with somebody and, to your point, even if you're virtual, you could still do that. You could set up 15 minutes with them and say, hey, I just want to get to know you, maybe a little bit about your job, but like who you are and how you got here. And I'm sure same thing with teachers too Like that would be so value added to hear how you two got there, because you've got more years of experience than a lot of these new individuals that are starting and just having that appreciation and understanding and what that friendship brought, you brought to each other, you know my daughter is going to begin her teaching career tomorrow and you know she's gonna start teaching high school.
Christine:You know she's going to start teaching high school. You know she's only 22. And I said I'm so excited for her to. You know she has friends from high school still and college, but I'm just so excited for her to make friends in the workplace and I, you know I said don't be afraid to ask for help. You know, just don't even mind the generational gap. You know you might find yourself, you know, a workplace bestie who's 10 years older than you or 15 years old. But put yourself, put yourself out there and be vulnerable and be yourself and cultivate the workplace friendships, because it does make it makes the grind a lot easier. It makes a world of difference. Love it.
Jess:That is great advice, and advice that we want to continue to promote out there and create this warm community to encourage people of that Cause. You're right, you shouldn't. Just it's great to have friends that are in your workplace, that are similar to you, whether that's age or your hobbies but it's also good to branch out and just take that moment to learn from each other.
Jess:Yeah, and you're right, some of my work besties pre-Claude course were definitely different, you know, much older or just very different than me in general, and I really think it added value to them just as much as me. When you think about Totally Same thing.
Claude:I had some friendship. I mean, I still you know to say to this day that are totally different, that I might not have been friends with if it would not have been to meet in this place, in a certain place, and I feel like it would have been a hole in my heart because you know they bring you so much and you can bring them so much. So I really love what you're saying to branch out Don't look at the age gap or anything, because you can, it can bring you so much. Do you have anything?
Jess:else, any parting words or any last things you want to say.
Renee:How much do you appreciate each other, because you know we hang out together, together but how many opportunities you have to really say something to your friends that you appreciate them and and, uh, enjoy working with them. So this was a great opportunity to do so. This is great, um, and it's I think it's wonderful that you have this podcast and you give everyone this platform to speak about.
Jess:Um, this is a positive thing, right right and it's something that every industry can benefit from.
Jess:Like we've been shocked some of the guests that we've had and how maybe we were yeah, and like in some industries where you would think it's almost built in not to be friends, like the actors and actresses that we were had, and the amount of the change in their dispositions and their even in their working style changed dramatically when they found each other as work besties. So, yeah, we totally feel that this movement is important and we hope more and more people like you are put in their limelight to showcase the value of it.
Claude:So, thank you, we appreciate you, guys, and we appreciate you as teachers.
Jess:Yes, Thank you very much, guys. Remember, whether you're swapping snacks in the break room, rescuing each other from endless meetings or just sending that perfectly timed meme, Having a work bestie is like having your own personal hype squad.
Claude:So keep lifting each other up, laughing through the chaos and, of course, thriving. Until next time, stay positive, stay productive and don't forget to keep supporting each other. Work besties.
