What do you think of these school situations ?

[Wigisfashion83]

I work in one, just wondered what you thought of the following.

1. A teacher from next door coming in to tell the class to be quieter, as her class were working on an assessment. The class were animated, not screaming and shouting or anything but chatty, and we were also watching a documentary. I may be unreasonable but I think it undermines the member of staff and the teacher doesn't get to decide the noise of other classes, if they are not SLT.

1. A student telling another within earshot of you that he would like to do something violent to you. This happened to me and I reported it. The student had a quick telling off but the detention I issued him was removed, so I requested that it is reinstated. Yet, if our students said such things to SLT, they would be out of the school before they know it.

1. Teaching a class (cover) and their form tutor pops in. They are a year 7 form. The teacher coming in is known to be a bit cold, but she doesn't even acknowledge me or the fact that it is disturbing my lesson. She literally doesn't even look at me, just comes in the room and talks to her students for about 10 minutes.

I’ve told other classes to keep the noise down if we’re doing an assessment

I understand, it's just not something I would do personally, I think it undermines the teacher but maybe I am wrong.

It’s not undermining, it’s just that they might not realise and it’s about being respectful of the fact that there are other people trying to teach around you.

In 1 were you cover? If the class was being loud enough to disturb the class next door I would say that is supportive. If they were watching a documentary then they should have been quiet or at least not be loud enough to be heard in the next classroom.

1. Many schools are like this. It doesn’t make it acceptable.

1. That’s odd but did you not acknowledge them when they first came in? I’m trying to picture what happened.

I am not in a union no, I have often wondered if it's worth joining one though !

I was cover, I guess I shouldn't take it personally and she was maybe trying to be supportive. They were talking but it wasn't overly loud though maybe I didn't realise.

The 3rd teacher never looks at me, she possibly doesn't like me, don't really care as I don't directly work with her but she literally walks in the room without looking at me, it's very odd.

1 is fine - sometimes you’re not aware how sound travels and it can be off putting to the class doing an assessment. Very much the done thing in all 5 schools I’ve worked at. Wouldn’t take it personally and just carry on.
2 and 3 are more of an issues, especially 2. 3 is just plain rude and I would have called them out on it then and there - hi, how can I help you etc. 2 is poor management, do you have a line manager you can raise it with?

Yeah, sorry, but I've had to ask classes to be quiet during mock exams this week. Not unreasonable. The third one is rude.

1. I’ve done that before, and had it done to me

1. I would be unhappy about my detention being removed, I would also want the parents informed

1. I often talk to kids in my tutor group during my PPA, but I ask the teacher in advance and I take them out the room to not disrupt the lesson.

1-3 bid rude but perfectly normal. 2 I'd be cross about.

You have to join a union. It is crazy to be a teacher and not be in one.
If the class were doing an assessment and your class were disturbing them, they needed to be told.
I don't know why the student was let off.
Why are you doing cover?
That teacher is just rude. Ignore her.

Yeah, if #1 happens again I will not take it personally.
2 has happened to me before too. I sent an email out to request that my detentions are not removed from the system without at least consulting me.
The #3 teacher is odd, I have walked past her room on many occasions and look at her ready to smile and say hi but she doesn't even look at me. I couldn't care less about her but her rudeness of disrupting my lessons is not on.

Why where they chatting loud enough to be heard in another class? ,This wouldn't be tolerated at my son's school thankfully and negs would be given. Once you where aware of assessments taking place you should have apologised then controlled the class.

I did this and gave out behaviour points, spoke to them several times but sadly I think they took advantage as I was cover. I suppose sometimes you don't realise how sound travels.

Of course they should speak to you, the adult in the room! Anything else is rude and unprofessional.

Sounds like you don't know how to keep a class under control

I think all these are undermining you as a teacher and very disrespectful.
Obviously no 1 it does slightly depend on how it is done but a quiet word with you first is the appropriate professional behaviour.
My old HR department at school would have been all over this. HR were generally a pain in the bum but really good at insisting everyone was treated right.

Alright, that's a generalisation and a half, some classes are just more difficult.

I think it's just the say she is, very odd but I will carry on as I am.

1. Perfectly acceptable if done politely. If I didn’t know the teacher well and another class was disturbing mine I would probably ask the teacher first to keep them quiet but I wouldn’t mind if another teacher asked my class to be quieter as long as they were nice about it.
2. Totally unacceptable. Kids can say nasty things about teachers but they need to do it out of earshot or face serious consequences.
3. Have a word with the form teacher away from the students and tell them not to disturb you lesson without asking you first.

Also - I hope you’re ok. Schools are pretty stressful places just now and staff are on the edge. None of us is at our best x

I do think that #1 could have done it in sending an email (though she didn't know I was covering) or asking for a quiet word at the door. It's the fact of doing it on front of the class that was undermining I felt.

She was nice about it and apologised after at least.

Last year a student was overheard saying that he wanted to punch a teacher, and got placed in isolation for a day.

all 3 are unreasonable. In the first one, the teacher should have spoken to you and asked for it to be quieter as the class were doing an assessment. It is all about being courteous. In all three you were treated poorly in my opinion. Maybe you need to stand up for yourself more.

No you are not wrong. It is courtesy for any teacher popping in to acknowledge you and ask your permission to speak to the class. I’ve been teaching 25 years and I would call someone out on that later.