How can I have more of a presence?

[Ohfrigginghellers]

I am a midday supervisor. Sometimes the kids listen to me but a lot of the time they don't.
Generally they are good kids but I would really like to be better at my job and have more confidence.
I look after reception to year 3 over lunch.

Make sure your "you now need to do as I say" voice is stern, deep, and you make your face look cross if necessary.
Any instructions at this time need to be short and to the point.
Don't say please, they'll think you don't mean it, say thank you instead. It shows you're expecting them to follow your instruction.
Make sure you're fair and consistent, if you would say no to the year 3's then also say no to the reception children. Unless of course the school rules are different for different age children.
Listen to their concerns/problems and do your best to help.
I never made any child play with someone they didn't want to play with. So if someone said "Fred won't play with me" my answer was always "I can't make him play with you, is there someone else you could play with and maybe he will play with you another time"

Watch

@JulietTango thank you.

@ValancyRedfern ??

No worries. I was a dinner lady for 15 years. I always say it's the hardest job in the school as it's the most unstructured time of the day.
Good luck

Sorry that was a mistake. Not sure what I did!

Adopt high status body language - standing tall and straight with feet firmly planted and shoulders back. Hold your head still and talk slowly and keep the pitch of your voice low. I teach secondary and all of these little techniques serve me well.

The MSAs in our school demand zero respect from the children because they've never been taught any behaviour strategy. They also treat the children like their would their own so they get the same eye rolling and smirking their own kids give them.

Actions have consequences and they need to be stuck to meticulously. Be absolutely on top of the behaviour policy/procedure of the school and be selective with what you ask children.

Ours do a lot of "nagging":

Why have you done that? Etc.

Avoid the "why" questions. They aren't going to answer you with "well Mrs. Hellers, I threw the crisp packet on the floor because I felt particular mischievous today".

Talk about choices. "You are making the choice to lose part of your play time because you chose to mess about in the toilets. What would be a better choice?"

You've had some great advice already.

Don't engage in lengthy disagreements with them about who did what when and why. Just tell them to stop.

Start sentences "I need you to xxxxx, thank you". Don't phrase it as a question, it's an instruction they need to follow.

Watch the Harry Potter films and channel Snape!

I'm Professor McGonnagal day to day, but I switch on a bit of Snape if I need order!

Do you mean she should glide up behind them, dressed like a priest?

Yes, and tell them she can teach them how to put a stopper in death.

Follow behaviour policy -if you have one. Never say please- say thank you instead. As in ‘Line up now, thank you’. Use a sharp edged voice occasionally, if you need to. Using the phrase ‘where are you meant to be?’ Is useful around the corridors. Also the phrase ‘Thank you for letting me know’ is handy for small complaints.