To dread going back to school?

[Waaahbaby]

I’m really struggling with my work partner. I am a teacher and so is she. She is relatively new to the team yet is a bit of a ‘know it all’. She does not take direction well or any kind of discussion about anything in fact. She’s asked for more direction, when I try to help she either literally brushes me away or ignores me. She has made it very clear she will not be doing work at home or during weekends but also isn’t completing work in school time. She has actually told the headteacher ridiculous lies about me, luckily he has seen through this due to some of the things she posts on Facebook. She says that work is impacting her mental health so now, yet again the burden falls on me. She has told us she will go off sick which obviously comes with it’s own issues. AIBU to ruin my whole ‘break’ stressing about going back?! I don’t actually know what to do.

Speak to your line manager and the head. Write down a list of concerns and ask how they can help address them. What is your role and what is theirs? As a HoD, my advice would be different than if you’re a teacher supervising a trainee or even just head of subject.

That sounds tough. Do you share a class or are you same year team but different classes? If you share a class, it's obviously more difficult.

The good news is that the headteacher can clearly see through her!

If she doesn't want to work evening/weekend, that is, of course, absolutely fine but she needs to ensure the tasks are completed during working hours.

Are you her line manager/phase leader or is there someone above you?

Either way, I would make sure you keep records of absolutely everything.

So, if you verbally agree that she plans English and you plan Maths, follow up with an email 'further to our discussion, I am just confirming that you are doing x and I am doing y by a date'.
If it isn't done, again email, 'we agreed x would be done by y date, please could you send me x as agreed'. Keep it factual and ensure you agree deadlines every time. You may wish to copy the manager in, but if not, at least you have a paper trail.

Give it a couple of weeks when you are back if there is no improvement, arrange a meeting with the head or line manager to discuss things.

Never easy but you can't carry someone.

I've put YANBU, even though I think actually, these holidays are a precious wind-down time and you should try to put her out of your mind. I know that's easier said than done though.

I'd be writing everything down - a timeline really- so it's all very clear, and add to it when necessary. The times she has asked for help, the help offered / brushed off. You might not need to share it with anybody but it could help you see the situation with clarity and not self-blame as sometimes it's difficult to see the wood for the trees when you're in the middle of a situation (speaking from personal experience here).

Has she been given any support / warning of capability?

Your Head sounds like they have their head screwed on right, so I don't think you need to worry.

You can't change her behaviour, so try to let that go for the next few weeks. Teaching's stressful enough without problematic colleagues!

Thank you for replies. I have started writing everything down which feels so petty and against how I would usually behave. I consider myself to be a supportive member of staff. I’m within the same year group but not sharing a class. She had more teaching experience than me but I have more in this particular year group.
She is very good at talking the talk and I largely ignored and just got on with it as I’d rather just get the job done. It’s all got too much now and the fact that she has gone to the head has quite honestly annoyed me beyond belief. I now feel like I can’t really speak to her and it’s very uncomfortable. That’s partly what I’m dreading. I can do the work, it’s stressful and it’s frustrating that I don’t seem to get any let up but I’m more concerned about just having to be around her! Stupid isn’t it?!