teacher unprepared for my parent help

[iamworkingonit]

I work as a teacher but part time. I like to have some sort of contact with the school my daughter attends and as a single parent, working part time enables me to do drop her off and collect her twice a week and have some contact with the teacher and other parents.
I volunteer as a parent help once a week. Not in my daughter's class.
Two weeks ago the teacher whom I work with was away. Normally when I arrive the children are still at PE and just coming back or sometimes I am there for 5 or so minutes before they come back. I passed through the office and signed in. The office staff are really busy and that is possibly why they didn't mention the teacher's absence. Anyway after sitting in the classroom for about 10 minutes I went next door and the teacher there said she was away. I asked the head what would be the best course of action and he said just to wait in the library and collect my daughter at the end of the school day. The following week I called to check if the teacher was in. The office staff said she was so I went in. The class didn't return within a reasonable length of time so after 10 minutes or so I spoke to a TA who said the class was practising for an end of term production. I didn't want to interrupt and thought all class members would be involved. I was really angry though. I understand perfectly well how busy teachers are ( I am one) but I couldn't see why the teacher couldn't have left me something to do which didn't involve working with pupils or at best left a not saying they were in the hall. When I left the school I left the teacher a note stating that I am a busy person and that it is frustrating to take the time to come and help and not be needed. It wasn't rude but I am wondering if I should have. I got a reasonably polite email back stating that the end of the term is busy and timetables change at short notice but I do feel that it was rude and that an apology would have been in order.

its a pita having randoms in the classroom. It makes more work.

This is what I'm thinking.
The teacher already has 30 people to organize. He or She doesn't need 31.

It must take up precious minutes find things for you to do. As a teacher you would surely understand that?

Oh, FFS, the number of unthought-out posts on here which are quite clearly from people determined to find an excuse to bash the OP is just ridiculous.

Rubbish about OP sounding "entitled". She takes the trouble to find out whether she's needed on the day in question, is told she is, duly goes to some trouble to turn up. How is that "entitled"? Why does she have to ask whether the teacher wants or needs help if she's responded to a call for volunteers? Why would the school have done that if they didn't need help?

As for saying it's hard work for teachers to have "randoms" in the classroom - seriously? Why are schools always asking for help, then? And how would it make work to have a regular volunteer in who knows the children, knows her way around the classroom, is willing to do whatever she is asked including the boring tidying up jobs, and is moreover a teacher herself? In fact, why do people assume that this teacher doesn't want OP - there is, quite simply, no evidence that that is the case.

How about all the goady types going away and finding something more constructive to do than picking away at a stranger on MN?

Judy

Sorry, not my last post. Lats but one

Anyway after sitting in the classroom for about 10 minutes I went next door

If you really wanted to help and were willing to do anything, why didn't you use your initiative and sharpen some pencils, or something?^
In my experience, teachers love people to help with the mundane, time consuming but necessary, stuff.

Or is that a bit beneath you. Wot with you being a teacher and all

I volunteer at my kids' school and spend a morning a week listening to 15 children read. Some of those children (aged 6-7) don't appear to be listened to between my visits (there's nothing noted in their diaries and we pick up where we left off the week before.)

I had thought the time I spend was appreciated but reading some of these replies I'm wondering if the teacher would rather I didn't go in. I don't do it for myself (I'm quite fulfilled by my own job) but wanted to help when they asked for volunteers. Maybe I should have a rethink.

HappySeven

I am sure you are appreciated.

A good volunteer is worth their weight in gold. But yes, one with no initiative who you have to direct all the time is like having an extra irritating child in the class. There is no indication however that the OP is one of those.

I always plan things for my volunteers to do - in fact i pile things up throughout the week in a special box for them. Its mainly things like filing, photocopying, guillotining, laminating, putting stuff into the book bags, putting up displays, backing work, writing the kids comments into speech bubbles, they also do all the weekly changing and noting down of the kids library books.

I also get them to do things with the children like on pieces of group art work for displays, setting up a new role play area with the children etc. I am incredibly grateful, if i had to do all those things by myself on top of everything else i would die. If one of them is unable to come in one week i am incredibly disappointed!

I do peripatetic work in schools and it's par for the course, I'm afraid. Best you can do is ask if she could let you know in future of any timetable changes.

I volunteered in our local primary for years. Parents would go in first thing to read with children individually, write in their reading record books, and help them choose a book to take home. Often the volunteers (I was one of many) were the only people reading 1 2 1 with certain children that week. In a year 1 class, there were many children who needed this time with an adult. The volunteers didn't need managing or supervision- they just got on with the reading and encouraging of children, often not talking to the teacher at all.

This was very helpful and caused the teachers absolutely no trouble. I don't understand why people think parents reading with kids is anything other than helpful.

claraschu

I am sure you do a great job, and that it is appreciated

Who did you check with mid-morning? If it was the office, I'm sure they wouldn't have had a clue of the whereabouts of the class and the needs of the teacher if our school is anything to go by!

Notyoda.

I was just mentioning the other side, i.e. The one constantly visiting rather than the one being visited. Being cancelled / forgotten about happens often despite the best of intentions.

I think you're overthinking this.
I'm a parent volunteer, 121 reading. There's been quite a few times when I've turned up and the class are on a trip/play practice/whatever.
My response is to think 'meh' then go for a walk/have a coffee/play in my phone. Whatever but I don't give it a second thought.
Never thought about it till this thread.

Well, it should be mentioned that if a teacher is going from a full timetable straight into a last-minute rehearsal, they are not going to have the time to email or phone somebody because they are also responsible for looking after a class of children and dealing with the demands and questions of 20 - 30 children.
Perhaps a way to make it easier for all parties, is for OP to check with teacher at school pick-up the day before whether she is still needed?
A snotty letter will not achieve anything apart from ill-feeling from both parties.

it's not unreasonable to be annoyed.

I think I'd have begrudgingly overlooked it and asked when I saw her next if you were needed any more.

Good evening all
Just a reminder that Mumsnet's raison d'être is to make lives easier.
That is all

NotYoda not sure how clever you are? If you are a teacher it follows that many of your friends are teacher doh!