Why are teachers so rude?

[Van34]

I will preface this by saying I do not have kids and therefore my last interaction with teachers was when I was at school. I'm not going to let my teenage years cloud my judgement.

I have recently taken on a job that involves visiting schools (think cleaning supervisor, but not) I spend a couple of hours walking round with the team, talking about challenges, reviewing paperwork and doing a general checks. I don't have to interact with the teaching staff at all (thank god). But I find them so rude. They think nothing of just butting in mid conversation, no "sorry, I can see your talking, could I just ask X a question" they just start talking. They stare with a frown constantly and consistently. They don't thank you or the children for holding doors open for them. And they never smile back if you smile at them...

It takes me back to being at school all those years ago and now I wonder if it wasn't just me hating the place. I wonder if the teachers were all like that too.

This isn't an isolated incident. I travel to many schools and they are all the same...

I was once told, by a very wise mentor that if I was regularly finding everyone around me to be an arsehole then the problem wasn't them, it was me.

I've worked in loads of schools and they've had their fair share of idiots but most folk are nice. Like in the rest of life.

What a horrible post.

Teachers are humans. Some humans are rude, some humans are not rude.

If you are interpreting every single teacher you encounter as rude, it may be a you problem.

Sorry but I agree - I think you may be the problem here not them…of course some teachers will be rude just like in any job there are always some but the vast majority of teachers I’ve met are not rude.

Currently I'm a visiting instructor in 5 schools per week. One school is a bit ruder than the rest, but not as bad as you describe and everywhere else is really friendly and polite. Maybe they are having to but in because you are chatting so much and they have a class to get to and can't leave them waiting?

Maybe whatever team you’re supervising is doing a terrible job, so they’re predisposed to frown and interrupt your conversation?

Probably frowning and stressed because it's a thankless job with a huge amount of stress. And is it really that awful if they just ask you a question?

Teachers are incredibly time poor. Maybe you are too slow?

Err, we're not rude in general- but our time is short, we've got 10 minutes to do 20 things and sometimes interrupting someone is necessary!

I'm a teacher, most of us are very friendly. If they are interrupting it's probably because we don't even have time to go to the toilet. There's always a number of things to do and never enough time. We are also dealing with behaviour and that can leave us stressed and burnt out.

Yesterday I didn't have a single break because I had a full day of teaching a break time duty and a lunch time club. And I was told to fuck off by a child. Sorry if I'm a little bit rude because I'm interrupting you're talk of safety to possibly discuss something actually more pressing such as a safeguarding concern, or maybe something that is time sensitive when i only have a limited amount of time. Sounds like they're interrupting you politely too.

This. 💯

conversation, no "sorry, I can see your talking, could I just ask X a question" they just start talking

Can you give a specific example of the actual thing a teacher has started talking about?

I also imagine it’s because they often don’t get real breaks. They are often having to supervise the shitty kids being held in detention. Or do extra in their lunch break such as remedial work.

Isn't it? Why so unpleasant, negative and goady about an entire profession? Quite unnecessary.

Treat people how you want to be treated. Teachers, nurses, bus drivers, supermarket staff, whoever. Be reasonable, be polite, be respectful.
You'll find, with rare exceptions, people will be the same to you.

It's a complicated job, but the teams I visit I do not directly supervise. Cleaning supervisor was a bad example... I actually work for a different company so they wouldn't know who I was. I am by nature, a very friendly smiley person and have never encountered this in any other public sector area.

Agree that there are some schools that are worse than others. And it's unfair to tar everyone with the same brush. But it is unfortunately, more common than not.

We were deep in conversation yesterday about a troubling incident to be rudely interrupted by a teacher (who didn't apologise) wanting to know if they could hang a flag off the railing... not exactly urgent or safeguarding information.

So everyone around you in all different places is a twat and you are not a twat?

"it's unfair to tar everyone with the same brush"
So get MN to change the title of your thread.
Talk about unfair generalisations.

If this is happening often - I’d say the issue is you, OP.

No I'm not a Twat. I am there for maybe an hour. I walk around with the team and I leave... I'd have no interactions with them really. I am polite, respectful of their areas and I'm doing a job to try to help their environment.

Happily, I and my colleagues are some of the friendliest people I've ever met.

The only common denominator is you during these interactions. Maybe you're misreading situations?

The teachers I know are compassionate, caring, funny, kind, generous, tired, overworked, underappreciated, and demoralised.

They all put on a friendly face when I see them, which can often crumble when I ask how life's going.

Get to know them better and you might see a warmer side.

I have quite a few teachers in my family. They are lovely people but can be pretty bossy and abrasive. I think they generally have to be this way to cope with the job! It can be annoying.

You might be right. Maybe because I am there during the school day it is a very stressful time and I don't see the best of them...