Declined for a role due to being uncomfortable/awkward, help

[Makingplansfornigel1]

It was through an agency actually. I'm qualified as a teacher (apparently "outstanding") however I sometimes I wonder how.
Anyway I had a trial day as a HLTA/cover teacher in a nice primary school the other day.
I was with a year 2 class who were a bit rowdy, surely it's as I was a new face to them. Naturally I was a bit nervous/stressed but I tried to be friendly yet firm. I praised them but also employed the behaviour policy, using C1s/c2s, moving pupils, speaking to them about behaviour etc.
The 2 TAs also supported and guided, which was appreciated.
The headteacher didn't see me teach at any point, nor did any senior staff, only the 2 TAs.
They seemed friendly TAs telling me, oh you'll be fine here, it's a lovely school etc. And seemed supportive.
Anyway I had a phone call today from my agency telling me that they had decided not to take me on for the role as I had essentially seemed 'uncomfortable and awkward' with the children.
I presume the head decided this, however only the TAs saw me with the kids so I presume they fed back to the head.
I understand if they don't think I'm a good fit, however naturally disappointed as it was a really well-paying role. Luckily I have managed to get other work for at least next week.
I think the head or a member of SLT should have also observed me before making a decision, not just the TAs.

I was certainly a little nervous and the kids will naturally play up but I don't understand the uncomfortable/awkward thing.
I've had it before where I've been told I seemed 'nervous' even if I felt fairly relaxed.
Maybe I've just got a nervous disposition but I'm not sure what I can do about it.
The TAs were obviously trying to be friendly if not very genuine.
Anyway not sure what to make of this feedback and how to avoid it in future?

Sorry OP, I think you should have gotten more time to prove yourself, first days are tough.

I guess it's how it goes.
If they had said 'your behaviour management was too weak' or something a bit clearer then ok.
But not sure how I could have 'seemed uncomfortable'.
Yes I was a bit, it was a trial day with a brand new class.

Hmm. You're right, they don't have enough data on you for such a sweeping judgement - but that's not really helpful to you in the here and now. Medium to long term, I wonder if it's about getting to know a particular school better through temp assignments?

One thought on the "nervousness" observation. I'm a lecturer and have had similar comments crop up once or twice in student evals, especially when I was starting out. Puzzling to me since I never felt nervous, but in retrospect I think it was about mode of delivery and speaking style. Speed in particular- I tend to go way too fast, jumping ahead of myself, and that can come across as lack of gravitas and possibly nervousness. Needless to say a highly gendered interpretation as well but there it is. Have you looked into speech/voice training at any point? I've found it quite useful for learning how to slow down, project presence.

Could it be they already had someone lined up for the job but had to be seen to be fair to other applicants? Might explain why no one observed your teaching.

That sounds a bit crap op but you've dodged a bullet if the head is going to base recruitment only on the observations of a TA. Those observations are vakuable of course but they don't have the knowledge and experience of the teaching standards so won't have been able to recognise all of your strengths. I have worked with a couple of teachers who started out as TA's and went on the train and they both said they were quite judgemental of teachers before they realised quite how many hoops we have to jump through.

If I were you I would raise thst you feel this judgement is a little unfair. List what you feel were the strengths you demonstrated om the day anfnis if the TA fed any of that back.

We’re asked to feed back on supply/training issues but it would never be just the TA’s opinion that meant a teacher wasn’t asked back - SLT would discreetly ensure they observed.
Maybe one of the TAs fancies the HLTA role for themselves.
I wouldn’t take their opinion too much to heart. Best of luck securing a role where assessment is undertaken more formally and fairly

Thanks for the feedback.
I do think it's wrong as they could literally have one TA who doesn't like the look of you (not saying that was her case), get her opinion, and that's it you've lost your job.
They might not even give a valid reason.
I did the voice training during my PGCE, you're right it is important. I thought I was speaking in an assertive, clear and not too fast voice in this school but apparently I was doing something that the TA didn't like

The old HLTA was that TAs daughter, I don't know if that changes anything. She was on maternity

Maybe the SLT observed secretly through a door and I didn't see!

Ha, yes! She thinks she has a casting vote because of good old nepotism. You’ve dodged a bullet not getting a role in a school like that.

From your post, so I could be completely wrong, it sounds like you didn’t have a good rapport with class. It doesn’t sound like a great school. Maybe you have dodged a bullet.

I didn't walk in as such, I was already in the room with the children just as their teacher was leaving for PPA.
Maybe i didn't have a good rapport, but I was also praising them a lot and being friendly as well as firm. I don't think it's possible to build a rapport in just one lesson though.

It's a shame as it seemed like a good school but maybe it's for the best.
Surely she must realise that someone has to cover her daughter whether she likes it or not

Count it as a lucky escape. If you would have been working with those TAs and they weren't on your side, even if they acted like they were to your face, then likely they would have made your job really difficult. I've had similar, you've got to have the TAs on your side and some TAs are particularly difficult! It's rubbish though and does undermine your confidence in your abilities, try not to take it to heart!

There's always a chance the job is being given to someone who already works there/is known to them. So it wouldn't matter how you performed! I've had this happen to me in an ELT job and found out after they'd given the job to someone who used to work there before. So annoying and felt like I'd completely wasted my time!

I'm not sure if they did but if places do already have someone lined up then it is really stupid.
Why bother advertising to an agency for staff otherwise? Just wasting everybody's time.
I guess the TA was trying to act friendly even though she clearly thought differently inside. I agree that it can be hard sometimes working with different TAs and it's not always possible to get people on side

A good TA won’t pick a ‘side’. You work under the teacher’s direction. Some teachers may do things differently to how you would do things, but if a TA wants to be in charge they need to train as a teacher. Otherwise, butt out, unless there’s a safety or safeguarding issue.

She wasn't even actively in the lesson, she was doing reading with children on the other side of the room. She wasn't focused on my lesson for the entire hour

It’s hard to say. I work in a school and we have interviewees and agency staff spend time in classes ahead of being put forward for longer term roles. SLT never come to observe them (unless as part of an actual interview), they ask for feedback from the class team (teacher, HLTA or TAs depending who is in that lesion).

I think you are generally able to get a good feel for how a member of staff will be after a short time in the class. Yes you expect people to be nervous but you can still generally see how naturally they’re able to interact with students and staff and get a feel for their teaching style and where they will probably have skills or weaknesses.

I would trust several of my TAs to be able to get a good feel for how staff members will be, sometimes even more so than SLT/ management who aren’t in class day to day. I can understand why you’re disappointed but I don’t think anything unreasonable has happened here; of course the TAs we’re going to be friendly to you regardless of whether they thought you were a good fit for the class, that doesn’t mean their feedback was unfair or false. The fact there were 2 of them makes me think it’s not really an issue I’m terms of them just deciding they didn’t like you, and to be fair the same could happen regardless of who was observing and giving feedback.

Honestly I wouldn’t take it to heart this much, just because you weren’t a fit for this class/ role doesn’t mean you won’t be right for another one. All you can do is keep applying, if you do lack confidence/ tend to be nervous then getting lots of supply rules will also hopefully help with that and support you to be successful in the future.

As a TA I was always asked my opinion on agency cover in my class. Some aren’t just not suitable. How’s it depends on the class, kids ages but first impressions count

Can I ask the pay please?
A teacher here, but often wondered about Hlta roles.
Sorry it didn’t go well, sounds like something behind the scenes maybe

You did get paid, I hope?

I have heard of schools pulling a fast one by offering people a trial day without pay to save on the supply budget...

I got a teaching job on the recommendation of a TA, I was doing supply as the previous teacher had disappeared without trace ( turned out she had run off with the Plymouth Brethren or something) anyway, we had had a busy art afternoon and were washing up paint pots and aprons together when she turned to me and said” he’s been asking about you” . “ oh” I said” what did you say?” . “ I said you were alright.” And that, dear readers was that, the job was mine! Lucky I didn’t leave all the paint pots for the TA to wash up wasn’t it!

I did get paid luckily, no way would be doing it for free!
I was paid around £120 through agency, but I think for permanent HLTAs it would be something around 20-23k PA. But widely depends.
Insane that heads recruit people they've never observed or interviewed based on what one TA said