To think the teachers resent me?

[ThisMonkeysGoneToAldi]

I work at lunchtimes only, minimum wage, I used to teach but like this role as it fits around school drop offs/pick ups.
At various times we need to line children up, gather them together to put sun hats on etc. Many staff let them run/scream to do this. But I prefer to get them walking rather than running, sing songs or read a quick story which keeps them calm. One girl can get extremely upset when it’s noisy, but LOVES songs. I get really bad vibes off the SLT when I do this but I’m sure it’s the right thing to do? One v sweet member of staff said ‘you get them sitting beautifully’ and TBH, I think I do?? But the leaders there really don’t like me!!

It's probably a white coat blue blazer thing. SLT don't always acknowledge non-teaching staff as equals, regardless of what you're doing.

But also, it might a bit weird for you to take it upon yourself to change up this whole transition period without discussing with the classroom teacher. Like, I can completely picture both scenarios - one where you're being perfectly reasonable and making a very small adjustment to some dead time, or the other scenario where you're overstepping and taking over too much.

I think you could outright ask them? Or ask your supervisor to? It’s obviously weighing on your mind.

The only thing that stands out to me is the story time. If they’ve already been sat on the carpet for five minutes then that’s five minutes less that they’ll be able to concentrate for the teacher for their input.

There's a whiff of superiority about your post, which could rub colleagues up the wrong way

But how can strangers online guess what's going on, or not?

If you're really concerned, ask a colleagye

SLT dip in and out. They are v friendly with one teacher who I particularly get this vibe off! The teacher will often speak or joke with my other colleagues but ignore or not say hello to me.

If you used to teach it could be that they resent your 'easy job' or it could be that as a teacher you didn't notice the hierarchy in the system as much. Why would the SMT be chatting to you? They are several pay grades above you now. Or maybe it is your imagination. None of these things relate to you as a person, they just see you doing that role.

It’s still a bit hard to picture as the sun hats and running around feel outdoor but then you say it’s on the teachers carpet. But I have just woken up so maybe I’m being dopey. I guess you are doing more than many a lunchtime supervisor, if that’s what you are, and are being more like a teacher. Which isn’t a bad thing but institutions can be funny about status and hierarchies. It’s a nice thing you’re doing but unusual and maybe you’re annoying people. If you care what they think, you could do less and still be doing a good job, but more likely you’ll do what suits you and the children and be glad you only work lunchtimes so don’t have to get involved with such politics.

I think it's most likely that the SLT don't speak to you much because you are a midday supervisor. If you want SLT conversations, and to be noticed, you should go back to being a teacher. Your job is just currently not that important and does not require teacher training. It smacks a little bit of showing off.

Also, if you think you are better than the actual teachers, you should do the kids a favour and go back to teaching. There are breakfast clubs and there is part time work to accommodate your school run.

Thanks @pinkdelight
It’s quick song then outside once checked sun hats/numbers.
30 mins or so play.
Tidy up, bring them in on carpet. Count/check they are all in while reading a story.
Thing is I love the job, can tell the children are happy - so that’s all I should focus on.
It’s just a bad feeling, which I can ignore.

I get that everyone wants to feel valued and that the job they do is important - but you’re lining some kids up and putting hats on them. If SLT approval is important to you then you probably do need to go back to actual teaching so they notice your contribution a bit more. I’m a bit confused about who you feel has an issue with you and why you think it

The impression that your post gives is that you believe other staff to feel undermined or jealous because you do a good job of managing the children.

You mention that you used to be a teacher and I wondered whether it is in fact you, in your new and more limited role, who feels a need to prove yourself by demonstrating your skills - so that you unconsciously hold out your good management of the children as a kind of badge. You may be implicitly courting the approval of the other staff

Rather than being resentful of your skills as such, the staff may be picking up on this anxious need to assert them, and reacting to that.

Find somewhere else and tell them to stuff their job. Life is too short for this sort of nonsense.

The culture in some primary schools is awful. What's the head teacher like?

I would get really fed up with someone singing every time, if I'm completely honest. Is it actually part of your role to sing and tell stories?
You do sound a little 'my way is the only way', children do need to run and maybe even scream a little at breaktime.

The tone of your post does come across as a bit smug and superior. Like you think you and your methods are brilliant and the other teachers (who let them ‘scream/run’??) are a bit crap. Maybe this is the vibe that you are giving off and it’s annoyed some colleagues. I don’t know. It’s a bit unusual for a SLT to be so involved in what sounds like lunchtime for EYFS. Maybe they are not very nice people?? We all have colleagues we just don’t jell with.
Have a word if it’s bothering you that much but you’re only there 1 and a half hours a day and it sounds like you have a couple of colleagues you get along with and the children like you so I’d just be ignoring and getting on with my day.

I teach quite young children. At transition my current TA leaves the kids doing what they want until I arrive to settle them.
My previous TA used to do like you, had them all sat beautifully and occupied.
I much prefer them doing their own thing. The kids only have so long they can sit on the carpet for, until they zone out and mess about. If 5 minutes of that time has been used by a TA telling a story then that's 5 minutes less I can keep their attention for teaching.

I agree with others, you need to check in with what the teacher would prefer and not assume that your way is best.

Maybe because they think playtime should be unstructured. Little kids have a finite attention span and they don't want that wasted on your songs and stories during breaks which are purposefully unstructured so they can let let off steam and give their brains a break.
You don't understand what you are doing and should have asked permission before implementing your own ideas.
If you think the teaching staff are sending you to Coventry, then most people would have had the self awareness to question whether your changes are appreciated.

How old are the children? If you're spending at least 5 minutes reading a story and several minutes each lunchtime lining them up to check hats and sing songs, the class you're surpervising are getting less play time than the other classes.

@PlasticAcrobat

That’s a really good post. In fact, I think that’s what it is - and me behaving that way would come across as extremely annoying.

I don’t think I do it to ‘show off’ - perhaps I do, but I also love it and love seeing the children get excited by a song.

It shouldn't be about what you 'love", your role here is to do what's best for the children. They need free time!

We’re actually quicker getting out than the other class as it’s a bit more ordered.
We all go in at same time.

That’s a load of bollocks.

We appreciate our midday supervisors massively. Having skilled staff who can manage the pupils for an hour a day so we can go to the loo, prepare the afternoon and if lucky eat something is of massive value.

The issue is people not thinking the job is that important.

I also wonder whether it's because you want to appear more capable rather than slotting in with the other midday assistants or still see yourself as being a teacher.
I also went from teacher to TA/lunchtime assistant and there is definitely no singing to get in line apart from the teacher using 123 eyes on me.
Are you going against normal school practice by doing a quick song? As in our school line up throughout the school is in silence (well supposedly) and staff are trying to enforce this. Even in the lower years the attempt is to try and encourage children that the way we line up is quietly, voices off and facing the front.
If you start doing a quick song that undermines the rest of the staff, especially if you haven't been asked to.
The same with reading a story. Unless you have been told the teacher has had something come up and to delay you should just be getting the children to do their usual routine - for ours that is coming in quietly, getting their drinks bottle and sitting quietly on the carpet. There shouldn't be 5 mins for a story.
It sounds a bit like you are overstepping, and this is becoming obvious to some staff.

I agree withn@GaspingGekko

So stop doing it, if other people’s approval is that important to you?

This is what I was thinking too! Whats wrong with them running to line up at break time? If it’s all relatively controlled and not dangerous obviously but they need to let their energy out in order to have more focus time the rest of the day.

I find it unlikely that any teacher, SLT or otherwise, is resentful of a support staff member being effective. This, in effect, lessens their workload. I don't know what the "bad vibes" are. Schools are busy places, SLT have demanding jobs. Believe me, they're not going to be negative about someone supporting children effectively.
If you feel that there is genuinely a problem, talk to the HT.