NQT Advice needed re: TA

[ShirazSavedMySanity]

Before easter I interviewed for, and was successful in getting, my first teaching job. Hurrah!

Before half term, I went to my new school to an inset training day. Great opportunity to meet everyone.

Everyone seemed friendly and easy to talk to. When I was introduced to my TA, she acknowledged me, then for the rest of the day, refused to make eye contact with me, listened to things I said within the group we were working with but once I caught her eye she looked away and generally seemed like she didn’t want anything to do with me.

Towards the end of the day I overheard another TA say to her, oh, she seems friendly, you’ll be with her all next year. My TA responded with, nah, she’s not for me, and screwed her face up.

Marvellous.

I’ve been a TA before, I’m in my 30’s, ive consistently got great marks during this PGCE year and I’ve always got along with the staff in the schools I’ve been placed in.
This has completely thrown me and I’m not sure how to handle it.

I start in September, there is just the two of us in the classroom and I really hoped I’d have a great relationship with my TA.

Any advice?

Do you have any inset days beforehand, try to get to know her. Perhaps she feels threatened by you so don't be too heavy handed, can you involve her quite a bit with planning and also acknowledge she knows the children and school and ask what advice or help she'd like to contribute. Basically make her feel valued.

I would just go in completely professionally. You don't need to be friends, you just both need to work effectively for the children.

Manage the classroom well, be organised and efficient and make sure she always knows what you want and does what you need her to well. Then she either warms to you or she doesn't.

It takes time to work out who your friends will be in a new school. Take that slowly.

Hardest part of the job. Win her round, if you can, but only by showing her and doing what you think is right for your pupils - not by catering to her whims.
If you can’t win her round, rise above it. Do not let this relationship define the first year of your career. She sounds very defensive and unpleasant. Be the better person here.
Good luck in your first post!

Thank you for the replies. I’m really looking forward to starting this role, I don’t want this to ruin it for me.

I aim to remain professional but equally, I want to win her around. Most of all, I don’t want any of this to impact the children.

Everyone was else was easy to get along with.
This is going to be a big learning curve!

Oh dear that's too bad, maybe she had a previous experience with a NQT that didn't work well.
As already suggested, a confident professional approach is the best way to go, ensuring your planning is clear in terms of your expectations for her role, is there another teacher in the year group?

No, it’s single form entry

I was that nqt. She was lovely with other people but not with me.
I was long term supply on a challenging school and she's decided I'd be a pushover and she'd end up sorting out the behaviour issues.
I'm no pushover, sorted behaviour, have her plans, we both worked with a variety of children and ended up having fun. Moshe actually apologised to me for presuming I'd be crap and she loved getting to work with the HA

That’s good to hear!
Looks like I need to prove myself to her, in the most professional way possible.

How rude to judge me before she even knows me.

Record any incidents from the start, however trivial. Hopefully you'll never need it but protect yourself just in case!

It's ridiculous that you now feel you've got to prove yourself. It's her job to support learning in the class and that means supporting you. She has been incredibly unprofessional to start your working relationship like this.

I disagree with the advice to involve her in the planning and asking for advice from her. Your NQT mentor and other teachers are the people to advise you on planning and teaching. This could lead to her thinking that you need her help and that you are not the 'superior' staff member in the relationship. Just be professional and let her see that you know your job and that you are perfectly good teacher and a decent person.

Agree with caaaarl. She has a problem with you based on absolutely nothing. She sounds pretty awful. I’ve had a couple of LSAs like this in my twenty years of teaching. The rest have been fine or great.
It may well be based on the fact you’re an NQT and that she think she knows better than you. So don’t ask for her advice.
Go in friendly, confident and professional. You might be able to win her round. If she gives you trouble, other staff members will notice don’t worry.

I e worked with a few TAs who refuse to work with bossy teachers! They like the easy time wasting jobs and stand back without getting involved ..... maybe you threaten her easy days?

She will have a clearly defined role and all she has to do is stick to that. It’s not a case of who is ‘superior’ and neither of you should be vying for that position, just fulfilling the terms of your jobs.
Make sure you know what she should be doing and if she doesn’t seem to want to do it or tries to undermine you, talk to SLT.

Maybe 'superior' was not the right choice of word. However, there is a structure in the class room and the teacher is responsible for the progress and class management. I manage my TA. I manage her hours, the role she fulfils and the tasks that she does.Ultimately, I am the one that is the qualified teacher and I am the buck stops with me. That is all I meant by superior.

I used to be a TA BTW so I highly value them and have agreat relationship with mine!

There is indeed a structure in the classroom, Caaarrl and a TA should do everything as directed by the class teacher that is in their job description, pleasantly and professionally. I’ve known TAs who think they are superior to class teachers and teachers who think they are superior to TAs. Not a pleasant working atmosphere, either in that classroom or in the wider school environment.

I had a problem with my TA as an NQT and SLT suggested I introduce a communication book with things that needed doing (by both of us - more like a to-do list), eg. Trim and stick worksheets in - TA by lesson 1. It was a bit of extra work writing up what was happening, but it gave me a clear run through of the day, and the TA had no excuse for things not being done.

It’s harder to deal with the personality side of things, but you can at least make sure you have a clear channel of communication.

I agree with caaarrll, nuffaluff and saucery. Be friendly but you don't have to be her friend. Ask her advice by all means and involve her, to some extent, in planning but don't give the impression that you are totally dependent on her. Ask for support from teaching colleagues and your HT when required.

Absolutely agree Saucery with everything in your last post.

As deputy head I'd want you to tell me about the comment you heard so I could support you and keep an eye on the situation. So, talk to the DH or HT about your concerns.

I'd just go in super friendly and professional. Delegate clearly to her. Try to work out the jobs she seems to really like doing and be keen to do and give her those.
Some TAs have worked at places for years on low pay and can be run down and fed up. They see an inexperienced new teacher and have presumptions based on past experiences or are just resistant to change.
Give her a box of chocolates at the end of the first week or two weeks to say thank you for helping you while you settle in. But equally make sure you are being assertive and appropriately ensuring she is your assistant, guided by you. As Saucery said, not in patronising, superior way.

I'm sure it'll blow over but what an unpleasant start!

Im my opinion... go in friendly,approachable and professional. Set clear tasks and expectations. In the meantime try and ascertain if it was a case of spoke to soon, a personality clash or she's simply a dick.
Each scenario will require different actions.

Good luck!

How can she make up her mind and judge you so quickly? That's just rude. I have been a TA for 21 years and have worked with teachers with years of experience as well as NQTs. There have been only 2 teachers I didn't get on with. 1 was not in teaching for the right reasons IMO. She wanted to climb the ladder. In her NQT year, was quite open about the fact she wanted to be a HT in the next 5 years!!! and the other was incredibly bossy and didnt let me do my job. My day was planned, by him, to the second and would have a go at me (in front of the class) if I deviated from his plan. I was not allowed to deal with behaviour and he tried to destroy the relationships I had built up with the children (it was my 3rd year with that class).
I agree with the comments above, just be friendly, show her the plans and ask her opinion but make sure she doesn't walk all over you. I would also speak to your HT or DHT just to make them aware. Good luck