Disappointed!

[Serena1977]

Just taken a one year maternity post to find there is a student teacher in the class.

I am an ECT and so excited to start my career and have a class and continue learning.

I am not the mentor obviously (the head is). The student teaches 12 out of 30 lessons. The head observes for 1 lesson. When she is teaching, I'm just supporting. But I wanted my own class, to plan and deliver the lessons, to learn and grow as a teacher.

To make matters worse, when I teach, she interferes in my input, disciplines and shouts at the children, changes the seating plan, doesn't tell me of conversations she has had with parents or other staff but because I'm an ECT and not the mentor, I feel I can't say anything.

I know some will say, be happy, your workload is a lot less because of the trainee, but I'm at the start of my career so I have lots of enthusiasm and want to get stuck in.

So, what do I do about the trainee's interference?

And get over my disappointment?

Honestly, take the break.

Are you primary or secondary?

You have one class but divide time up (seemingly) into periods?

I'd be annoyed, and the fact you weren't told is even worse.

To make matters worse, when I teach, she interferes in my input, disciplines and shouts at the children, changes the seating plan, doesn't tell me of conversations she has had with parents or other staff but because I'm an ECT and not the mentor, I feel I can't say anything.

This, however, would really wind me up. I'd be nipping it in the bud immediately.

You are the class teacher so the buck stops with you. I'd meet with the mentor and explain the situation, and that you are unhappy with her making changes without discussing them with you.

The mentor should have your back, and then you can both meet with her together and lay out some ground rules. Presumably she has not been teaching for long? She sounds very confident.

Are you going to be able to do everything you need to for your ECT year with her present? If you have any concerns about this, you need to go to your own mentor and explain the situation.

Will she move classes/ school at Christmas?

You don't have to just blindly accept this but you do need to be proactive in terms of sorting thing out!

I am not too sure but surely they should not be reducing your timetable as an ECT and give your lessons to a trainee teacher, I know you will still be in the room but that should not be the case surely as we do not allow that in our school. I am also confused as to why the trainee is in the class when YOU are teaching? Shouldn't they be in another class ro doing something else unless they were told to only observe classes hey are teaching which is a bit useless.

I'm assuming this is in primary?

It does sound a bit unusual to me. Is it that the trainee teacher is going to have your class during your PPA and/or ECT time? That's the only reason I can think of to put her with you. Otherwise, trainees usually go with more experienced teachers or even their mentors if they have a class and are not non-class based SLT for example.

What training pathway is she on? 12/30 is a high teaching load for this point in the year. If she is on a university PGCE or SCITT her placement will surely be over soon.