Is it me?

[Mamalicious16]

New post as TA. 1 month in. Had no
( as promised) induction) tour around school) introduction to staff etc. They have a group chat which ( as far as I'm aware all teachers and TA staff are on but I've not been invited too - ,). Staff in my class are VERY tight knit. Feel lonely - try to make conversation etc but feel like am banging my head against a brick wall. Is it because I'm still.'new' and they are wary of me or is it a 'clique' that I'll never 'belong to' ? Feel so lonely thinking of leaving......( Other teachers and TA's from other classes seem easier to talk to and more friendly.......what's going on,?

Teachers are like wolf packs, give it time and they'll slowly but surely warm up to you! Don't take anything personally x

Thanks. I'm only there until July. Unless they extend my contract. .........

The group chat may be an oversight, next time you hear someone talking about it, ask who the administrators are and how you could be added. Schools can be a bit clique but as pp said, give it time, keep joining in conversations and you will be fine.

Re the group chat thing- I asked the class teacher re me joining it and she looked uncomfortable, mentioned there's were lots of groups within the chat and she didn't know if she could add me......

I'll just have to give it time. Thanks for the replies.

Secondary or primary? I started a new TA job three months ago and depending on your answer I can maybe show you that there's some light at the end of the tunnel!

Primary or secondary? Are you assigned to a class or a child?

Hmm, I’m sure it’s not helpful but to say but I think some schools (like all workplaces) can be cliquey and not very unfriendly. I did long term supply teaching in a school where the odd TA or teacher would be friendly and helpful individually, but as a collective, newcomers were treated very much as outsiders. Questions met with little patience but mistakes not tolerated- made it really unpleasant to work there.
I’d maybe request to be kept more in the loop of whatever you feel you need to know but you’re probably better off out of some big group chat imo... but my experience at not nice school has maybe made me cynical!

I'm supply and get treated like one of the team in some schools and like the invisible woman in others. I take a book and let them get on with it. Guess which schools I work at the most!

Primary school ........

If you are only there until July you wouldn't be on the group chat in ours. Wouldn't mean anything bad just we don't usually add short term staff. So don't take that personally. Just be friendly bit not over much. Do your job and don't expect anything more. Gradually people will warm to you. Making an issue in your mind about it will only make it worse.

I'm in my first TA job, started in September.

I found people ok, but my class teacher was extremely curt for the first term-ish. I work 8.30-1.30, so no lunch break, which was both a blessing and a curse - it can be quite unfriendly as people take the opportunity to check their phones, but it also meant most days I did not really talk to/ have a relationship with another adult apart from my class teacher.

Another poster above had a beautiful turn of phrase which I am shamelessly magpie-ing 'questions are met with little patience and mistakes are not tolerated'. This was my experience with the teacher, and I found it very wearing/ demoralising.

I just decided to be Pollyanna (not my natural default!). It's a job. I am there as it pays me, and for the kids - any friendships I pick up are a bonus. I smile, leave biscuits in the staffroom for halloween/ xmas etc...ask about holidays and weekends, and most have thawed.

I think it's not really personal , it's just that schools are ridiculously busy, and take a lot of physical and emotional energy. Just smile a lot, ask about weekend plans, and then pick up a book/ check your phone/ read a magazine with your lunch. It's still early days.

No change here...... Guess I better get busy applying for a. New. One