Just letting off steam!

[Rebecca85]

Warning: very long!

I work in a school, and one of my duties is to do phonics work with a group of children. We sorted the groups out last week, and started work on Monday. The thing is, T (one of the teachers) got things wrapped round her neck a bit, so on Monday we had to change my group round. On Monday we have to give out spelling lists for a test on Friday. As it was the first week, I gave my group spellings that they should already know (to make sure that they do know them!). Now, all the parents of children from T's class have complained that the spellings are too easy. So T has told me basically to get it sorted, and get some harder work. But I can't give the group harder work, as the other children in the group would suffer (the nature of the work means that everyone has to do the same).

1) I had to prepare spellings for a group of children I had not previously taught before. Therefore I need to know what they already know.
2) I had not planned to have these children in my group, therefore had planned the work to be at a suitable level for the others.
3) I have to take into account the needs of the majority of the group, not just T's children.
4) T's children are not as advanced as she thinks they are, baseline assessments have shown gaps in their knowledge, so doing the easier stuff will benefit them anyway
5) I spoke to the children on Monday anyway, and said I was aware that it might be easy to start with, but that I needed to make sure everyone knew this stuff, and it would get harder in the next couple of weeks.
6) I am just doing what I was flipping well told anyway!!! I was handed a scheme of work, a group of children and told to get on with it.

I have tried telling T this stuff, but she just can't see my point of view. I get the feeling she thinks I am lazy and not wanting to do my job properly, whereas I know I am doing it properly, she's wanting me to go above and beyond the call of duty.

But regardless of who's right and who's wrong, the stress is really affecting me. I was doing really well in terms of fatigue, and today I can barely even keep my eyes open. I nearly crashed my car coming home from work. I managed to force myself to do my exercise DVD (which does normally wake me up a little) and now I just feel like ****. I guess I'm going to have to take a nap ;(

 

[bushydougie]

Sorry to hear the teacher isn't listening to you. What year group is it you are working with?
Is is part of your specific role to set spellings not the teachers? And do the other teachers agree with what you are doing? If so perhaps you can tell T this.
I know just how stressful and tiring teaching is and can totally relate to how you are feeling. I find it hard enough getting through the day without having the added crap and stresses piled on you.
I hope you manage to get some rest today and are feeling better and less stressed tomorrow
Is it the same teacher youve had problems with before? If so is there anyone else you can talk to at school about it?

 

[Rebecca85]

I was supposed to have a group of year ones, who have not done phase 3 of letters and sounds before. But I have also got some year 2s (T's kids) who have done phase 3 before, but haven't quite grasped it. They weren't meant to be in my group, but had to be put there as there was a mix up with the numbers and T's group was full, so some children had to be moved 'down' a group.

And yes, T is the teacher I had trouble with before! I have spoken to one of the other teachers about it (the teacher who I 'belong to'). Unfortunately, T is senior management team, KS1 coordinator, AND literacy coordinator. So what she says goes! The other teacher says all I can do is document what I'm doing and the kids are doing, and show I'm following the scheme of work. Basically if the work is not at the right level, the kids need to be moved out of my group, which is up to T to sort.

As for it being part of my job, my job is to deliver work to small groups of children, and to plan/prepare the work under direction of a teacher. So I guess doing the spellings comes under that. But I have a hard time considering 11 children to be a 'small group'! Especially as I work at a table in the corridor, and it is physically impossible to fit more than 6 round that table. So I have to move and stack the tables and chairs before I can even deliver the work!

 

[Grumbletum]

Are the parents from T's group maybe a bit narked that their kids have been moved 'down'? ex-teacher here and know some parents can be very competitive and might see the move as some sort of failure rather than what their kids need. Hopefully things will settle down when you're a few classes in. I think I'd be annoyed at her interference, especially when it doesn't sound at all friendly or constructive.
Try not to let her get you down. X

 

[bushydougie]

Can't believe she's struggling to see the problem! I can see why you'd be so annoyed and frustrated with the situation.
Just try and let it pass as Grumbletum says and see if things calm down a bit.
Totally know about there not being any space! Our school is one of the largest in the area. Our nursery alone has 104 kids! (52 in each session) We can never find space for small groups...
Hope you've managed a good rest this afternoon

 

[Astra]

Take it easy Rebecca before you hit the deck!
What I have to say next is not a reflection on all hard working teachers, just the bad uns! Respect to teachers but...
This happens all the time in schools, a huge bug bear for me, the Unison steward.
Teachers can use TSAs to do all the 'dirty work' which is wrong at best and downright disgraceful at worst!
To undermind their authority is an outrage!
To speak your mind is treason!
To challenge them is a waste of time, you're pond life!
Time after time we get 'well go and train to be a teacher then' blah, blah, blah
You're stuck between a rock and a hard place Rebecca in this current climate, schools will be knocking us back with Govt. cuts and spending.
If you need to challenge your job description, see your union rep. Or just grin and bare it.
Just take care of yourself first and foremost
xxx

 

[AndiGirl]

Hi Rebecca! I am a teacher. Here in the US it isn't as common to have teacher assistants in the classrooms. The exceptions are for the kindergarten rooms and those with children with special needs. I do understand what you are going through because I have been in a similar position before I started teaching. Sadly, there are teachers who will give you the dirty work, try to take the easy way out, and slough off struggling or problem students onto you. After working in such an environment, I try not to be one of those teachers. I basically see it as my job to make sure that environment is appropriate and conducive to learning. The support help that I may get, if there is any, is to support what I already have in place.

I think the reasons that you have stated along with your positions on them are valid. I would explain that to the teacher. Make sure that you document everything that was said when you speak with her. Be very clear on why you will continue to do, what you are doing, and how it wouldn't be fair to the other children if you were to change it. If she still feels strongly about that, then maybe she needs to find extra work or challenges for her advanced students. In my opinion it's her responsibility to make up the difference. Good luck my friend.

 

[Rebecca85]

Grumbletum- the parents don't know that they were moved down since the parents have only been told what group the kids actually went into.

Bushy- T has always been the kind of person that looks out for her kids first and foremost, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, until you trample over other people to do it! For example, I was in the kitchen cooking with a bunch of kids from another class, and one of T's kids came to ask if I could do first aid. Obviously I couldn't leave 8 young children alone in a kitchen, so I sent a message back saying sorry, but I was busy, and could someone else do it? So T sent the child in to me, she had a nosebleed and T sent her into the kitchen bleeding everywhere. Very hygienic! And due to the azathioprine I have it in my job description that I don't have to deal with bodily fluids. That woman just won't take no for an answer! I mean I get that it was an emergency, but the kitchen is at the other end of the school, and the kid walked past at least 3 other first aiders to get to me...

Astra- I'm glad it's not just me! Luckily the teachers I actually work for (the ones whose classes I am based in) are really lovely and understanding, it's just the rest of them!

Anyway, I feel better having let it all off my chest. I daren't say too much at work, because of stuff that's happened in the past, but sometimes I just need a good moan! So thankyou everyone!

 

[Rebecca85]

I think it is all sorted now, but I just had to share this: I did the spelling test today. Out of 10 children, only one got any of the words wrong, and it was one of Ts!

 

[bushydougie]

Ha. Brilliant!!!
Hope you let her know
Glad it's been sorted now.