Teacher here! My class come in at 8:40am. However, two staff members have children at the school, and send them to my classroom at 8:15 (one is an office lady whose daughter is in my class, and the other is a TA in my classroom, and her child is not in my class or year group).
I really don’t want responsibility for other people’s children before my working hours begin, what if something happened? I feel like they’re taking me for some kind of free before school club.
The TA sometimes stays with her child, but other times says, ‘you stay here and Mrs Dogsandgin will give you a job’. Then I have to find a way to entertain her kid for 25 minutes before I actually start getting paid! She’s done this with previous teachers presumably, without a hitch.
But, even with her remaining in the room with him, having kids in the room changes how I can chat to my teacher pals before we start work. We need to have confidential, blunt, frank and funny conversations and get things off our chest, away from children! I’ve had teachers come in for a chat, see the kids, and turn and walk out. I’m desperate for my pals and my privacy back.
How can I politely request that no children come in before 8:40? Or should I ask the head to communicate it as a policy?
YABU - kids should be able to come into your classroom before you start work
YANBU - you shouldn’t be a free babysitter for your colleagues