Shouted at at work, do you stand up to the person?

[Mooo111]

It's a school setting (reception age) There were 5 staff members present in the playground at the time, I was there on supply.
There's a kid that's quite a bully towards other children, we have all told him off and the parents have been informed of the behaviour.

At one point I was dealing with a very upset child and had her in my arms, I saw this boy starting to pick on a classmate.

He was a few metres away from me and I told him to stop a couple of times, I said to the other staff that he was picking on her and he seemed to ignore me.

I should have got up immediately but because I had the crying child and there were 5 of us i thought another staff member might go over and separate them.

Anyway a colleague shouted at me angrily 'Well why don't you get up then!!"

She wasn't shouting because of distance, she was 3 metres away from me.

I was in shock and thought it was rude of her. I should have got up faster but it's wrong she spoke to me like that.

Anyway I went over to her in the corner and just asked 'Please can you not speak to me like that." That was all i said,
She clearly didn't expect this and carried on shouting at me saying i was 'sat on my arse" and had 'waited for her to get up and then told me 'No, YOU don't speak to me like that!"

I just said 'ok', and realised there was absolutely no point, plus it's not right in front of children.

I felt my face go red and was shaking a bit, other colleagues were giving me those pitying kind of smiles.

Anyway the lady went home at lunchtime and it's only day to day supply so not likely to see her again.

Another colleague later told me she had witnessed what happened and reported the woman to the head. I had no intention to report it but I really appreciate her support.

I am aware i should have got up sooner to help the child. But what I would like to know is was i wrong to ask her to not speak to me like that? You'd think we shouldn't have to be spoken to like that at all. Given her reaction to me, it makes me feel like it's better to just keep my mouth shut.

I heard her saying she's someone who 'tells it like it is' and she comes across as very feisty so I think I chose the wrong person.

Hugely unprofessional especially in a childcare/school setting. Can’t believe she said “arse” in front of kids

Earlier that morning I had made some conversation with her and she'd been polite enough, it was just a shock

Complain

It just puts me off ever standing up for myself because you just get a huge backlash

If she had asked me 'Please can you get up and take the boy away' or something like that then no problem at all

‘tells it like it is’ is often code for bully

I agree, it's not an excuse to have zero filter or tact

She’s a bully too. Someone else should have gone to separate the other two children while you were dealing with an upset child that’s how it works with children the team are meant to have each others backs to make sure everyone is attended to properly.
Your colleague was a complete twat, “I tell
It like it is” is just code for “I’m a bullying twat who throws their weight around.”

There are times when people don't always pull their weight at work but you ask them politely you don't shout at them

Honestly I hope your head reports her to the agency!

It's not okay at all and I really think you should follow it up. This is not a good role model for young children. Adults should be modelling polite and respectful relationships!
Also you were there on supply and therefore unfamiliar with the children. When you work in a school with young children, you work as a team especially when you know the children better. It was clear you were dealing with another child and the other adults should have stepped in without needing to be asked- that is their job!

I bet she's not supply is she? I'm glad your colleague is reporting her.

It was a very bitchy environment (apart from the lady who reported that person on my behalf) i don't think I'll go back, she's not from the agency she's permanent there, but I feel like you get one in every place sadly. I shouldn't regret standing up to her even though it was a bit frightening

She should not have spoken to you in that way but I would say you were also somewhat unprofessional to pick her up on it in front of the pupils. I appreciate it was a spur-of-the-moment reaction but, given that this woman was a one-day supply person, what was be gained by having that kind of exchange in the playground? Even if she had been a permanent member of staff, a discrete word later would have been more appropriate. However, as you’re unlikely to see her again it probably not worth sleep over now.

Yes you're right, there weren't any pupils around at that time though it was just in a corner of the playground, and I knew she was leaving at lunchtime but you're right maybe i should've chosen a later time

Sorry, reading some of the other posts I realise I had misunderstood that the other person was on supply when in fact you were. However the gist of what I said still holds good.

How were you meant to get up though when you were comforting another child? Surely one of the other staff members (ie, shouty arse!) could have dealt with it? You did nothing wrong. She sounds bossy, rude and abrasive. I'd report her.

You weren't sat there doing nothing. You were comforting a child.
She was a twat.

Glad this was reported to the head. I have seen supply TAs treated pretty badly by some more boldly staff members. I was treated like dirt when I was on supply. There is at least one of these in every school IME unfortunately and they need reporting as it is clearly not professional.

*bolshy

I work in both nursery and reception and no staff members there would ever speak to anyone like that, ever!
We are a team who help each other, making the children a priority. It doesn't sound like a healthy environment for the children to hear that hostility. You definitely did the right thing to challenge her attitude and yes I agree with pp that's someone who 'tells it like it is' is quite often a bully.

@toomanytwinkies

‘tells it like it is’ is often code for bully

Ain't that the truth.

@Mooo111, /there was a frightful bully teacher at DS's school...Kind of like ''An old retainer'' who made shouting an Art Form.

We had the Fire Brigade turn up once to show the children the vehicle, and we heard a roaring from inside the building.
You could hear the teacher bellowing from behind granite walls on the actual street.

''I tell it like it is' ''I'm blunt''
Shorthand for I'm an appalling bully to children, parents, and other teaching staff alike.

Report the bellower.

YANBU there’s absolutely no reason to speak to you like that.
She could have spoken to you later on about it or spoke to the head.

However someone picking on someone should trump someone crying so if you saw it you should have gone straight over as you knew exactly what was happening.

The shouter at DS's school had a nickname ''Shouty Sh***'' {her surname.

A fine example of alliteration. She was famed for her bellowing, and bad temper.

I would not have approached her in the yard, but I would have reported her before I left. I still would. She could be a cause of lots of supply teachers being willing to return there.