To be shocked by the school staff room it's put me off wanting to teach..

[blapbird]

I am currently training to be a primary school teacher, but a recent three month school placement has made me question my direction.

In the staff room the staff (small school/ every member of staff including the head) constantly talked about the children in a negative way, saying things like 'he doesn't have a clue look at this work-useless'

The children's parents, criticised the way parents related to/bring up their children. E.g 'her mum doesn't help at all his dad is as much use as a hole in a bucket', 'her parents obviously don't care about her' then everyone agrees with said negative comment and it becomes the general consensus, then that child is labelled for the rest of their school life.

There was one member of staff (TA) who only worked mornings, she was very kind, warm, friendly and made an effort to ask me how I was each day, in the second break when she had gone home, ALL of the staff including the head were talking negatively about her 'presence' how they think she is on the autistic spectrum/ hasn't got a clue. I felt so sorry for her -she is a well travelled,intelligent, mum of two boys- she seems to be used as a conversation piece.

AIBU to now reconsider my career, because I can't see myself being able to cope in this kind of working environment, does anyone have any experience of this, please can someone tell me that not all schools are like this?

Thanks

Not all schools are like this.

Honestly.

Not all schools are like this - I would think this is unusual. I have never worked in a school like this, and I have also done a long stint of supply so saw quite a few school staffrooms.

Hang on in there.

What MrsMcEnroe said.

Make sure you give feedback (in gneral terms, anyway).

You seem to have got into a rather inward looking close knit group who are indeed being unpleasant and unprofessional.Not all school staffrooms are like that.I was a teacher for over 30 years and never encountered anything like that.I have taught [supply after retirement] in many small primary schools and generally found them very positive and friendly.You've had an unfortunate experience-dont let it put you off the job-it can be wonderful.

Not all schools are like this. Not all staff in all schools are like this. But some are.

You do have to realise that school staff need to unwind a bit sometimes and drop the 'professional speak' maybe. Not condoning slagging off colleagues, but they are allowed to relax.

If you want to reconsider your career due to one school's staffroom then I don't think you're heart's really in it.

If teaching was what you were really passionate about, I'm sure you'd just think 'wow, what a bunch of bitchy teachers' and pay it no more thought.

Are you looking for 'reasons' to change career?

It must feel horrible doing a placement at this school as you must wonder what the staff say about you.

Not all schools are like this.

Not all schools are like this. I presume you'll get some different placements as well.

it doesnt sound like a nice atmosphere at all, but id bet most schools arent like that

Not all schools staff rooms are like this. Talk about students is generally positive in ours, although people let off steam now and then.

I'd carry on with your plans to teach so you can change crap attitudes like you've encountered

I work in a school and our staff room is nothing like this. If anything it's the opposit, with us trying to come up with good reasons why a child is always late in or whatever.

Thanks Gumby good plan

worst staffroom - primary school with a lot of male staff who used to joke about sex all the time, one of them said 'while you're down there' to me when I was sitting on my classroom floor sorting papers
all the others have been OK though! especially the school I'm at now which is big on doughnuts and positivity

You can't judge a job on the basis of one placement/environment. Surely you realise that a)it's not typical and b) as belinda rose said, teachers let off steam behind closed doors?

My secong placement was at a school like this (and it was high-flying, OFSTED 'good', great results) it was dreadful. It was very hard to get through it and I'm not sure if I'd have had that school as my first placement whether I would have carried on. Try to do the best you can - if nothing else, it will show you exactly what to look out for on interviews but honestly, the vast majority of schools are not like this at all.

I was once in a school that was vile for staff room bullying. It was shocking and horrid. I have been in various staffrooms since and never experienced that scenario again.

Do feedback to your tutor.

I was placed in a Beacon school on my teaching placement. Staff were dreadful. I seriously reconsidered teaching.

Then I realised this was one example of a school.

Not all schools are like this. Just make sure when you're in one like this, they don't start to rub off on you. I've seen that happen too.

Good luck OP.

Purile isnt it?

I call the staff room 'suicide corner' because one coffee and I'm ready to hang myself.

Most of them shouldn't be allowed out unaccompanied - let alone locked in a room with 30 children for an hour.

Surely you are smart enough to know that all staffrooms are not like this.

Ours can be quite a cutting atmosphere but yu are just as likely to here us saying how great our students are or how much we enjoy are job.

Do take your own teaspoon to stir coffee with. I was once loudly hollered at by 2 teachers' cos I used someone's teaspoon. To me it looked like any old stained stainless steel cheap spoon - it had no name on it. They then spent 4 weeks glaring at me.

The kids were a breeze. The teachers needed a swift kick up the pants.

I hope you mean most of them in your school trois and not in general

Although, some teachers are a very particular sort of person...

My advice is focus on the kids and how you feel in the classroom - once you're a teacher yourself you can just get on with the part you love (teaching and interacting with students) and ignore the moaners!!!

I've been in much worse staffrooms than this, both in schools and in other jobs. But I've also been in some brilliant staffrooms where everyone looked forward to seeing each other, the chat was great and the vibe was really positive.

It varies massively from school to school, don't be put off.