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!!

Good points. I was wondering the same.

@PlasticAcrobat has worded this much more kindly that I was thinking it.

You seem very proud of yourself and are expressing that through each of your posts. Nothing wrong with that in general but if you seem to be overstepping boundaries or putting other staff down in the process of this, they may just be keeping an eye.

You used to teach and now you sing and read stories in a lunch queue?

If the children are engaging with you, they’re safe and all accounted for then just keep doing what you’re doing. Ignore the bad vibes and rise above the ‘being sent to Coventry’ behaviour - that is childish, unprofessional and has no place in any working environment.

Your question was are you unreasonable to think that "the teachers resent me"?
YABU. I doubt very much whether they "resent" you. What would be the reasoning?

Wow, inverted professional snobbery, or what...

Surely the only opinion that matters is that of the teacher of the class you supervise. Have you asked them directly whether they're happy with how you manage the class? If they are, that's really all that matters.

You could always grow that conversation by saying that you thought you should check as you're getting the impression from SLT that you're doing something wrong, and see what s/he thinks.

I was think this is possibly the most likely cause of resentment. It could also be even simpler than that, and the teacher is jealous that she's having to slog a full time roll, and another qualified teacher can just choose to take a very low-stress part time roll - let's face it, not many of us have the 'luxury' of that choice.

I didn't realise people were only allowed to talk to others who are on the same pay grade 🙄

Schools are funny places in my experience. The head teacher usually completely blanks me....unless they want something that is and then they are full of chat!

Head teachers are a pretty good indication of the culture of the whole school, which is why I asked earlier what s/he is like.

Gosh, I don’t think any teacher would ‘envy’ a lunch supervisor. Why would they?

I'm a teacher OP, and on some days I don't even get a hello from some of the SLT, sometimes they just walk by without acknowledging me. Yes it's a bit rude, but they often have a lot on their plates, and their minds are somewhere else, its nothing to do with me at all.

Also, sadly some teachers, like other professionals just don't really acknowledge the presence of support staff that much, don't make small talk with them etc. its rude, but not personal - for example our current head will always stop for a quick chat with the cleaners in the morning - the last head never spoke to them.

Could it be that you have an awful singing voice OP?! 😜

I don't think there would be resentment, one of our lab technicians was a teacher, and a taxi driver I know was a deputy head - but neither is teaching now having both voluntarily moved on. There are lots of people who qualified as teachers and do something else.

Unfortunately some people (SLTs) are like that - I would just carry on and do the best I can to get the most job satisfaction - or find somewhere else that I would be happier.

This!

At my school SLT are friendly and talk to everyone.

What’s your job role? Working in a school at lunch time can mean anything

Perhaps they find it irritating because your job is lunchtime supervisor - essentially getting the kids lined up and sent out to run around - but you’ve taken it upon yourself to organise activities as if you were still the class teacher. Maybe the teachers already have songs and stories planned for other parts of the school day and would rather the kids were just burning off some emergency rather than spending their playtime walking and being calm?

I was thinking more the ability to take a career break. She's still a qualified teacher who can choose to go back to her career, some people don't get those options.

What's wrong with being a lunch supervisor?

But actually playtime is children's only opportunity to run around and most children need more exercise not less.
They do enough sitting when in the classroom, you aren't there to have them sitting nicely and calmly they should be running off steam

There are 2 issues here.

1.that you work PT.

Some people are very funny about this.
I used to work PT and would get a LOT of passive aggressive comments about.
I would constantly get asked if I had a rich husband or how I afford my bills.

The truth was that I was a single parent struggling for money and there were no more hours available and so I worked 2 other jobs on the side and was studying.

2.that you are appeasing the children.

Some people will think as long as the job gets done it doesn’t matter how it’s done. And when it comes to children that could mean giving in to them or bribing them etc.
You are doing things to make it an enjoyable experience and so they want to do it.

Whereas other people think that that isn’t necessary and that you should ask them to do something and they should learn to behave and do it.
That they should not only behave just because they’re getting something that they want.

Without being there and knowing their ages etc then it’s difficult to tell.

I am on the fence because I think that being a bit softer and getting something done is better than it being a stressful experience etc.

However, they do need to learn that they need to line up sensibly and quietly and if this was a fire alarm emergency then you would not have the time to sing and tell a story.

I can imagine SLT thinks you’re being a bit too soft on them which is what is causing them to run and scream for other staff members because they’re not getting what they want.

Isn't what you are saying is that you think the teachers are envious of your 'classroom control'? Because you are/were a teacher but not in that role now.

That's what you seem to say. That you are good with the discipline and they are envious or think you're being a bit 'showy off' by the way you get the children into line?

I'd carry on and ignore the bad vibes.

As a peripatetic music teacher who has taught in many schools I have experienced both lovely and inclusive teachers and the complete and utter cunts. And it’s not necessarily the quality of the school on paper that reflects the attitudes of the staff. I quickly moved on from the cunty schools as I’m not spending my day around these fuckers. I suggest you do so too.

Yes but the poster I was replying to was implying that SLT shouldn't have to lower themselves to talking to support staff because of their pay grade