I'm genuinely feeling really left out at placement school

[fluffyslipper1]

I've posted before about this and I'm at a point where I'm not sure what to do.

I feel like the staff all have their little cliques and I fit into none. They always talk about school or the kids or stuff I literally have no input in. I don't know the kids so how can I comment on them or get o to a discussion...

I'm so tired of feeling like the spare part. I can handle all the other issues the place throws at me. But the staff are like 80% of the issue here

I simply am not enjoying it. I don't want to drop out and I cant transfer. I can't really say this to my mentor. I've had a word with my uni and they think I should flag it up but I'm not entirely comfortable doing that yet.

Help?

How long have you got left in school? I had a school where I even went into the smokers staffroom, there were two, it was about 15 years ago, it was up in the roof, it was better company, I do sympathise, I imagine getting through is the best you can hope for.

@notdaddycool

How long have you got left in school? I had a school where I even went into the smokers staffroom, there were two, it was about 15 years ago, it was up in the roof, it was better company, I do sympathise, I imagine getting through is the best you can hope for.

3 months. I'm desperate to find anyone who'll just talk to me. I know one teacher I really liked when I did my online lessons from a whole diff dept. I might ask if they'll let me go and observe her. I miss her

You've posted about this before.
In the nicest possible way, you need to either accept that people are busy and stressed and don't really have time to chat about non- work things, OR make a concerted effort to join in OR find someone you can talk to.
I'm not really clear what it is that you expect. I can't make people talk to trainees but they always have three named points of contact plus their class teachers. Do you not have something similar?

In the nicest possibly way, you’re not there to make friends; you’re there to learn to teach. Are you being properly supported in that?

You know now that this isn’t the right school for you in the future (good thing to learn!) and that it’s important to you to work with a supportive team (also good to learn; look for big / sociable schools when applying for jobs) so get your head down, get through the training, and spend time with friends outside of school.

Good luck

It really doesn't matter - it's a placement school not a forever school. Are there any other trainees about that you can hang out with?
It's a really hard time at the moment having just gone back after Home Learning, people are stressed, kids have big gaps that we are trying to fill. Just do what you're there to do and don't take it personally. You can find time finding a school that is the right fit for you for your first real job.

It cam be hard as a trainee and it's good to get on with members of your department, but I think you've got to be really careful making the distinction between cliques and staff who talk about school and the students.

At the best of times school staffroom chat can end up being talking shop with some general chit chat about the telly or plans for the weekend. Add in lockdown and people are much more stressed than usual, which is also going to increase the likelihood of people talking about work.

I know you've said you don't want to talk to your mentor, but your university tutor's advice is sound. If you don't want to take it then what are you wanting to happen, as it sounds like you're hoping that university will get involved and right now there's not grounds for that sort of involvement.

Lockdown stress is affecting a lot of people and some staff may feel that if they get friendly with trainees they will be gone within a year. You can keep trying with them or focus on your end goal on passing your placement. I suppose most people can’t really talk about what they have been up to as they can’t go away, see friends, do hobbies so they just talk about work. It’s not long now till you finish. Hope it all works out for you.

Conversations about students post lockdown may well be necessary. E.g. Amy is very anxious, Jack did no work over lockdown and is struggling, Jenny is flying and needs to go up a set etc.

Teachers don't have lots of free time to talk, so they will often talk about students when they get a chance, or discuss classes with their partner teachers etc.

If you want someone to be friendly with, other trainees at the same school are often a good bet.

I know it might feel awkward but feeling a bit left out is pretty normal as a trainee.

I meant to add, you should focus on getting your evidence, placement will be over before you know it!

Unfortunately, you would be very lucky to get through your training/degree without getting a challenging school. I had two wonderful placements that were a perfect fit for my pedagogy and ethos. This set me up for a very challenging 3rd placement where I was a square peg in a round hole. I was totally unprepared for the way the staff were. Compared to my first 2 placements, the staff were under a huge amount of pressure from their federation as they had just become a member school. They didn’t have time or energy to make nice with me, not because they were horrible people, but because teacher time is so precious. I just about made it through but learnt more about myself in that placement than the first two combined.
Hang in there, 3 months seems like forever but before you know it, it will be over. Make sure you get everything you can from it and remember that this is a temporary feeling you have, don’t make a permanent decision on the back of it
Good luck

Also, sometimes it’s good to not talk and just listen to what’s being said. There’s a huge wealth of experience in a staff room and a lot to be learnt. You said they talk about school and the children, that sounds like a great opportunity to gain different perspectives on how to deal with different situations.

@MrNprimaryteacher

Unfortunately, you would be very lucky to get through your training/degree without getting a challenging school. I had two wonderful placements that were a perfect fit for my pedagogy and ethos. This set me up for a very challenging 3rd placement where I was a square peg in a round hole. I was totally unprepared for the way the staff were. Compared to my first 2 placements, the staff were under a huge amount of pressure from their federation as they had just become a member school. They didn’t have time or energy to make nice with me, not because they were horrible people, but because teacher time is so precious. I just about made it through but learnt more about myself in that placement than the first two combined. Hang in there, 3 months seems like forever but before you know it, it will be over. Make sure you get everything you can from it and remember that this is a temporary feeling you have, don’t make a permanent decision on the back of it Good luck

Thankyou that's some brilliant advice