The teacher who is so disgusted at the behaviour of your class ...

[justlikekatycarr]

Seriously, how do you deal with them?

The teachers who are DISGUSTED at the noise levels. The work rate is APPALLING. They haven't got some pointless sheet at the front of their books, the date isn't underlined and on and on.

Obviously, it clearly isn't aimed at the kids at all but how do you politely tell them to fuck off, they aren't helpful ...

In that case I'd definitely raise it with her line manager. If she's still interfering when you've made it clear her help isn't welcome then I think someone more senior needs to have a word. The fact that so few people have encountered this shows how weird her behaviour is. I've never come across this before. I've only encountered people doing it when they are genuinely being helpful and a teacher is genuinely being given a hard time.

I had a classroom once which had windows onto the corridor (great...not). I was teaching my bottom set year 11 who were all behaving. A challenging bunch but some lovelies in there and a wide ability range from E up to B. The Deputy Head walks in. Rather portly with a loud voice and announces, in the middle of my flow on some poem or other, that 'That Boy'. (Dramatic pointing at the weakest, most vulnerable lad in the room' ,That Boy was Smirking! Smirking when you were talking...!' It was like something out of dickens. He didn't tell another lad off whose method of entering my class was to climb through the window. Or the usual disruptive pupils but picked on this poor lad who was always impeccably behaved. I told him this but it sounded so pathetic 'well Sir...xyz is always good and works very hard. He's very respectful'. Poor kid was nearly in tears and trying really hard not to blub in front of the toughies. Give the class their due they were all a bit non plussed and didn't rip the lad (and they were given the death stare by me).

In my current school, we have one teacher who will do exactly what you said. Completely undermining. She's also the sort to tell a pupil off for some minor infringement like not having their blazer on when they are in front of you and all they are doing is nipping out of the classroom to get a laptop and come back.

Could you try breezily smiling and saying "Thanks Miss, we're fine here. We've had a room-change and are just getting settled. Bruce is just asking a question and Deborah hasn't had time to finish writing the date yet. I'd let you know if I needed you." And then just go back to teaching your lesson/ignoring her. She has no business screaming at your class. I would stop the whole class talking or doing anything. Complete control. Then I would say, 'Yes, Miss Interfering Cow or whatever her name is?' No need to explain yourself.

I know what you mean Flying, and it is always the vulnerable children who they know will get upset ... never the kids who'd tell them to fuck off.

Funny, isn't it

I know exactly what you mean. It's so disruptive.

In my experience the person in question is often quite insecure, but that doesn't make it any less difficult. I had an awful class one year but after a visit from Mrs x they would be super for me for about ten blissful minutes because they disliked her so much!

OP this happened to me once as a NQT. I wasn't having it then (my class were doing group practice for a drama piece when a very long serving food tech teacher barged in and laid down the law) and I certainly wouldn't be having it from a RQT with a superiority complex. Tell her that if you need her input in future you'll ask for it.

I know exactly what you mean OP. I have known other RQTs as well as other non-SLT staff who try to raise their profiles by undermining other staff. This bit says it all:

She is conspicuously absent when there actually IS a problem: chatty year 7s are fair game, year 10s telling each other to fuck off, not so much!

She only takes on easy battles she can win - basically well-behaved and well-intentioned - or possible vulnerable - children. She won't go near any real challenges (bolshy KS4s) which she may well lose. I viewed it when it happened to me as someone stamping all over me in order to climb to the top.

I don't know the answer really. With the rqt I did speak to her and said something like I know you mean to be helpful but actually it undermines me and causes problems which weren't there before you came in. She was quite offended and I have to say our relationship remained civil but frosty until she left at the end of the year.

Recently qualified teacher smile teaching really is the land of endless acronyms!

You mean initialization. Sorry, had to do that.

I do know what you are going through, I have had it too.

I was incredible childish, when the teacher flounced out the door I pulled my tongue out at them - yes totally unprofessional.

Told the kids that they had not seen me do it and it got them back to the lesson.

Also a 13-year teacher who has ended up signed off with stress from a similar situation so I totally get it. Add into the mix people "just popping in" at the end of every day "to see if I'd noticed...(xyz infraction of school policy)" and to let them know if I needed them to go over anything - I felt hounded, picked on and over scrutinised. And at some point I have to go back 🙁

It isn't about standards, it's about the fact if someone constantly watches you they WILL find things to have a go about, and then they watch you more because you're apparently "struggling". In my case I made the mistake of asking for one, tiny, tangible bit of support and ended up feeling like a failure and a hair's breadth from capability. This is teaching today and if you're not in a school like that, lucky you.

I get where you're coming from.
OP she's undermining you.
She's not trying to help you at all. She's doing it because, by making you look small, it makes her look superior.
The fact she's using the children to do this is doubly disgusting.

She sounds terrible. OP you have my sympathy. If she tries it again and you don't feel up to politely telling her to do one, try changing the subject. "Oh I'm glad you're here, Miss Irritating. I wanted to ask you " as you steer her out of the room...

I remember at primary school we were doing a history lesson in the hall, which involved pretending to be medieval peasants bartering our goods. It was a kind of game where you had to find someone who would take your pies for their chicken or what have you, and was noisy. I remember the head, who modelled herself on Thatcher, sweeping in and telling us all off, in front of the teacher. It is so unfair both to the kids, who were just doing what they had been asked to Do, and the teacher - I was very aware of their embarrassment/ humiliation and I was only eight.