Deputy Head already not liking me?

[hotthetemperature]

I am a student teacher on placement, I got a catty remark from the Deputy Head, after leaving school around 3.30 this week. Something like "You're straight out of the door as soon as it is possible to do so".

It is my first week and I am not teaching any lesson yet but I have to admit I feel upset, which I know is stupid and I need to grow up and just carry on, which I will do.

[Babycakes6]

It’s the typical workplace bullying we are all familiar with

[chiweenie]

Oh my thank goodness I no longer teach in the UK.
In the US the head would not dare to utter those words to us. We work contracted hours and if we go over them, we get paid because we are asked to work over them and then we agree to do so. If we cover a colleague's lesson, we get paid to do so. Union. A strong one and I love working conditions here. It has been a revelation to work in a different culture where you work contracted hours and finally, I have a work home life balance and you see people teach till their late 60s here unlike what I saw in the UK. Why should the OP work beyond their contracted hours, they don't even have lessons at the moment? The job is never ending- you walk at the end of your hours. No lawyers etc. work extra hours unless they bill for it so why should teachers?

[EntertainingandFactual]

I’m a teacher and have been for 28 years…
I am straight out of the door every day.
I also spend most evenings at home, on my computer doing school work. 🤷🏻‍♀️

[EntertainingandFactual]

@HammerMyhome

so teachers must earn shit loads compared to most if their hours are 8-3?

8-3 with the children & unlimited unpaid overtime. A starting salary of £25,714?

Don’t people realise how rubbish teacher’s wages are compared to most graduate jobs?

[PicaK]

She doesn't hate you.
You've made it all about you.
Instead of sulking have a think about why she might have said something unprofessional. You've been there a week. You have no idea what's going on in her life right now.
People make mistakes, bitter words can escape.

[Lopilo]

At least you know not to get a job there. It sounds like one of those schools that has a culture of competitive martyrdom about work and they are hellish to work in.

I always did absolutely everything in school when I was on school placements including all of my uni work and people thought I was hard working. My friend used to rush back and do all her prep and assignments at home and the school thought she was a slacker. It was unfair but it is what work places can be like.

[WonderingWanda]

Ignore her, you haven't done anything wrong and there are that's in all walks of life. Also also get a thicker skin, if that's upset you just wait until the parents start!

[Revolvingwhore]

I always tell my student teachers to get out the door as soon as they can. They have a whole career ahead of them just full of reasons to stay behind after work. Get out early while you can.

[Fuuuuuckit]

@Bluevelvetsofa

I imagine she and the school don’t expect anyone to leave so early. Maybe you could, or should, spend some time familiarising yourself with policies and procedures, looking at curriculum planning, schemes of work etc.

In week one of your teaching practice, even with zero % teaching I would expect you to stay until 4, unless you've been given express permission to leave early. Any investment you put in now (policy reading, planning, observation write-up, schemes of work etc) will pay dividends in the coming weeks.

Remember the time they are putting into hosting you and that your mentor is giving on top of their own work. I would be in touch with your link tutor/placement team about your floating off as soon as the kids leave. Huge flag for professionalism and teaching standards. There is never nothing to do in school, certainly not in your first week in placement.

You are not making a good first impression op.

[Msloverlover]

There are lots of things you can say about unrealistic expectations in teaching but I think staying until at least 4pm is just common sense. Your mentor, who is taking time out of their busy schedule to help train you, will probably be there until much later. The considerate thing to do would be to take some tasks off of their hands (displays/photocopying/table set up etc). You will also learn about all the other elements being a teacher involves (teaching lessons is just one part). Even just making your teacher a cup of tea and asking about the children in the class would be hugely beneficial.

If you have childcare responsibilities at 3.30, you may have to make appropriate plans. It’s absolutely fine to do planning/marking at home but generally I would always be around for at least an hour after school. Even just to have the chance to speak to other teachers, TAs etc. I also prefer to have my classroom and resources set up for the next day the night before as there never seems to be enough time in the morning.

[Alltheholidays]

Sharpening pencils.! Jesus wept. She’s a student not a general dogsbody.
Teaching environments are shit. No wonder all the good ones have left!

[Revolvingwhore]

@Fuuuuuckit

In week one of your teaching practice, even with zero % teaching I would expect you to stay until 4, unless you've been given express permission to leave early. Any investment you put in now (policy reading, planning, observation write-up, schemes of work etc) will pay dividends in the coming weeks.

Remember the time they are putting into hosting you and that your mentor is giving on top of their own work. I would be in touch with your link tutor/placement team about your floating off as soon as the kids leave. Huge flag for professionalism and teaching standards. There is never nothing to do in school, certainly not in your first week in placement.

You are not making a good first impression op.

Permission to leave? You know teaching is a profession right? You're an idiot.

[Alltheholidays]

@Fuuuuuckit Permission to leave!! Wtaf!
Who do you think you are?

[NovacDino]

We have directed time to fulfill and part of that is to be in school from 8.30 until 4pm and 4.45 one day a week for staff training. We all work outside of these directed hours but we don't all stay late. I don't, unless there is something I can only get done in my classroom. I arrive much earlier than 8.30 though too. We're very lucky to have a very supportive SLT who treat us all with respect and are flexible to our needs as well. I think this is pretty uncommon these days.

[Revolvingwhore]

@NovacDino

We have directed time to fulfill and part of that is to be in school from 8.30 until 4pm and 4.45 one day a week for staff training. We all work outside of these directed hours but we don't all stay late. I don't, unless there is something I can only get done in my classroom. I arrive much earlier than 8.30 though too. We're very lucky to have a very supportive SLT who treat us all with respect and are flexible to our needs as well. I think this is pretty uncommon these days.

Sounds like you're over your 1265 there.

[Alltheholidays]

People who willing work for nothing are idiots!

[Shoes232]

The deputy shouldn't have said anything but it's not ideal to leave at 3.30. If your not teaching yet there will still be jobs to do in class, did you ask if there's anything you could do? Mentoring a student is extra work for us, we take many student teachers on at the end of the year so if you want a job you need to make a good impression.

[Hangingtrousers]

I would say ignore

[Revolvingwhore]

@Shoes232

The deputy shouldn't have said anything but it's not ideal to leave at 3.30. If your not teaching yet there will still be jobs to do in class, did you ask if there's anything you could do? Mentoring a student is extra work for us, we take many student teachers on at the end of the year so if you want a job you need to make a good impression.

You're.

[Sherrystrull]

@Alltheholidays

Sharpening pencils.! Jesus wept. She’s a student not a general dogsbody.
Teaching environments are shit. No wonder all the good ones have left!

I'm a teacher. I sharpen pencils all the time. Who else is going to do it?

[WarriorN]

Be smiley and breezy and the extra pair of hands in the classroom.

Ask if anything can be done before you leave. Some staff would like the extra help, others would prefer to get on.

Ask questions about what you've seen. Show an interest in school documents policies etc.

[Teacherontherun]

I am on SLT and that is a rubbish comment to make however, in the nicest possible way if you have taken this comment so badly then I think you are going to need to toughen up. Teacher training year and your first couple of years in school are brutal- it does get easier. You will have daily constructive criticism and be judge on everything. Take the little wins and dont take things too personally otherwise you will be broken. Good luck! Best job in the world still

[Hangingtrousers]

Posted too soon.

Ignore her... soon you'll be struggling to leave by 5.30 on a Friday 😭

[WarriorN]

@EntertainingandFactual

I’m a teacher and have been for 28 years…
I am straight out of the door every day.
I also spend most evenings at home, on my computer doing school work. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Yes this too. If I was out of the door at 3:30 it's to go home to work till 10pm.

But all the students I've known do at least offer to pitch in.

These days my role is specialist class based so the room constantly needs sorting out. I have to stay till 5 but don't work in the evenings. Just a few hours on a day off (part time.)

[Maireas]

You need to talk to people in the department about SEND, SEND+, PP, EAL etc of the classes you're assigned to, all the school procedures and policies. It's highly unlikely that you'll have time in the school day. However, if you're up to speed on everything and it's all good, there's no reason why you can't leave on the dot.