Worried I have offended my colleagues

[AnxiousandTeary]

I've recently started a TA job in a secondary school. I'm in my 40's. I love the job and the head asked me to be the HLTA. I was apprehensive because it would mean managing the other TA's who have worked at the school for longer. I refused. 2 weeks later my manager approached me saying that the HLTA job would just be more admin and interventions (which I like) and would not involve managing the other TA's. I accepted.

The manager said she will announce it to the TA's tmrw at our weekly meeting.

I agonised about whether I should tell the TA's myself but thought maybe the line manager wouldn't like it....I have only been at the school since mid of Sept.
Anyway, it was announced and out of the 6 TA's- only 2 congratulated me.

I know I need to not care about things like this but I absolutely hate office politics. I just want to do my job. The other TA's think that I make them look bad. They actually said this to me and I didn't know what to say.

Any advice will be greatly appreciated.
At times like this I wish I was more assertive, bold and brazen.

Should I apologise for not telling them....

How are they thinking you make them look bad?

Is it that you've come in all enthusiastic and they lost that ages ago? In which case that's not really your problem.

Or have you been a bit inclined to say things like "Oh shouldn't this have been done?" with a wide-eyed innocent look.
When you would know it should have been done, and are just highlighting that someone else hasn't done it and you've noticed. Now that may not have been your intention, but that is how it can come across.
If that's the case, then just have a think about how you handle things like that, so it comes across as a "all in it together" rather than "I'm grassing you up for not doing it, to get brownie points".

I'm not saying it's the latter, but if more than one person has said the same thing (unless it's been in a jokey way) it's worth considering if you are giving that impression.

@MargaretThursday its definitely the former.

In that case don't worry.

Tell them you'll probably grow jaded like them after a couple of years. 🤣

@KissMyArt

Thank you, Im definitely overthinking this. Back to enjoying the weekend.

When I started TAing I was massively disliked by several of the other TAs, they had gone through redundancy the term before I joined, school had got rid of dead weight who were obviously their friends and been there many years but by all accounts were a bit crap. More funding became available so I was hired, again redundancies hit, other TAs were let go but not me although like all new TAs I was only on a 1 year contract, so I got even more animosity. But, academically I had a degree and worked in my specialist subject and I worked my socks off. If the child I was with didn't need me and was happy to work independently I'd help the rest of the class. Some other TAs would just sit at the back doodling in their notebooks if their child didn't want or need them - and I mean doodling, pictures of dragons and witches etc. I then became a teacher and had those TAs in my class which was fun too and could see why other teaching staff always referred having me in their classroom.

Just keep your chin up and let it all blow over.

@Singleandproud Well done, your hard work work paid off. Was it awkward having your former TA colleagues in your classroom while you taught?

Wait, have you actually be promoted into the role and given the pay for it and everything. Or are you standing in whilst they interview, but you’ve not actually got the job title and pay etc?

@Ivehearditbothways Yes I have the job (title) that no one wanted and hopefully they will recruit someone for it.

And the appropriate pay?

Yes.