Ways to increase presence

[Whackawhacka]

Ive just started in an established PRU with lots of support staff that are very experienced and around 10- 20 years older than me.

Ive taught in mainstream for 10 years but I’m now a lead teacher and in a more challenging environment. I’m taking whole school assemblies and am the more senior teacher on duty a few times a week.

I don’t feel I have the same presence as other staff yet and I’m looking for strategies to increase this.

I have a few things that I feel aren’t helping, but not sure how to manage these either. 1. Other lead teacher can be quite dismissive and patronising to me. Often in front of the pupils. 2. The support staff have known the kids much longer and will often try to manage behaviour for me. Something a non verbal cue would sort, becomes a row with a TA that undermines me and causes more grief to deal with. 3. I’m currently on a secondment because the school we’re so desperate for a teacher of my subject. I came in for 6 weeks, returned to my normal school for a month and then got asked back in, the kids ask if I’m a supply teacher.

I would love to be asked to stay permanently, because it’s a great place to work aside from some of the above!

I am concerned that they will think I’m not strong enough for the role.

Any books/websites or podcasts on building presence in an SLT type role?

[shade78]

I’ve heard the Sue Cowley materials and training are good for presence and behaviour management.

[Thetraitor]

The problem is exactly as you say you’re temporary and the kids and staff know it so why build a relationship that is going to be broken anyway. I think you need to be transparent say to staff relationships are key can I spend sometime dealing with incidents so I recognise how to approach different students etc.