Do you feel appreciated?

[ForOliveShaker]

So, for a while now I’ve considered leaving my role.

This all began when my previous head of dept left the school. He was amazing. I genuinely mean that. He held us together. He was my shoulder to cry on when my day was shit, he supported me through any parent complaint (sometimes I wouldn’t get as much support as I hoped) but on the whole. He was great. He was a fantastic example of how to lead a team.

Then, we were appointed a new hod. And they are crap. They believe they are in the right at all times, they want everything their way, if they are in a bad mood. It’s very obvious. I feel there’s not an ounce of appreciation for the work I do for the team (and it’s a lot) I create schemes, do MT plans, create a multitude of resources, mentor, lead on initiatives, create fantastic initiatives to get students engaged in our subject, achieved the highest pass rate and highest percentage of g 6-9s in the last two years. You name it. I’ll do it. Anything asked of me I’ll happily do (maybe that’s where I go wrong.)

However, two terms have gone by and slt have given gifts to certain staff and I’ve been missed. I would be okay with it if I did the bare minimum. But I do so so much. I genuinely will go above and beyond. It seems as though I’m overlooked, it’s actually hurtful seeing gifts on desks and being missed. It’s like I feel I have to push harder to be noticed. But I can’t do anymore.

I know I’m just a number. But I feel really upset and hurt that I get missed out. I just don’t know what I’ve done wrong:(

Why have they given them ‘gifts’? What was it for? Long service?

No. Just to say “thanks”

"I create schemes, do MT plans, create a multitude of resources, mentor, lead on initiatives, create fantastic initiatives to get students engaged in our subject, achieved the highest pass rate and highest percentage of g 6-9s in the last two years. You name it. I’ll do it. Anything asked of me I’ll happily do"

It's not you, it's them. Seems to me you're doing a lot of HoD work, for no extra pay, and little reward. Look for another job where you will be appreciated and/or paid for what you do. You have experience now of 2 very different HoD styles, and from your post, it seems you know which one you would aspire to be like, so go for it. (Unless, and this is fine too, you're happy as a class teacher. Then move, and be sure to let them know why, if they ask!!)

I’m actually aspiring to be a hod and I do everything I can to get as much experience as possible. Problem is in terms of timing I’m a 4th year teacher. I’ve been doing everything a hod and 2ic would do. My hods mood dictates how the day will go. If it’s a bad mood we’re all ignored. The rest of the team don’t mind. But any good hod should understand the morale is dictated strongly by them. No one works cohesively we all work in silo. The ofsted report from last year was damning. It’s all quite a poor show.

I have applied to a hod role and a 2ic. Been offered an interview for the 2 ic. My worry is would I ever be shortlisted for a hod.

I started running a fantastic book club that began last summer term too which has really taken off and raised literacy levels and my hod has done nothing and no led no initiatives yet they are at the forefront of the final half termly thank you notices in meetings. I just get overlooked no matter what I do.

You're in your 4th year.

Focus on applying for 2nd roles and stop worrying about what your hod does or doesn't do. They're not going to change.

You are doing a lot, but certainly not "everything a HOD or 2ic would do". You are also still inexperienced, and I assume you work in a core subject, so look for 2ic roles and do them really, really well for a few years before deciding to go anywhere near a HOD job if you are after a TLR. There is far more to the role than you'll know or appreciate at the moment.

If you are in year 4 of teaching, it is worth keeping all the evidence as you will need it to cross threshold to UPS next year - you are doing now what would be expected of a UPS classroom teacher, so that evidence will be vital. Focus on that.

As for presents... there will be some in your school who have the ear of SLT, and who make more noise than you. They are the ones getting presents.

There could be a couple of things happening here. Maybe your HoD sees you as a threat because you are so good! Or maybe you doing all the extra stuff has now just become expected and so isn’t seen as extra. It’s like when we reward the kids who behave well for one day but forget to reward those who are good every day. Keep your chin up; nothing stays the same for very long.

I think it’s the first one. I have had feedback from external visitors that I am quite proud to hear but they don’t get that.

Been shortlisted for a hod and 2 ic role

Good. But you need to accept that you may not have the experience yet for HoD.

Regardless, it doesn’t hurt to keep trying. I accept I may not have the experience. But in a 3 man department you do pick up the skills relatively quickly. Particularly when you’ve also had to stand in during their long periods of absence.

Might I make a suggestion: always having to tell everyone why they're wrong and you're right is not the way to get appreciation.

Thats got nothing to do with the post. My work ethic has nothing to do with my posts on MN. But thank you for the suggestion.

Also, I’m telling you a fact about my department. It’s not saying you’re “wrong” it’s telling you what I do on a daily basis which means I’ve got more exposure to certain aspects of managing a team than people in a 10 man department. If you’ve taken that as me saying you are wrong, then I am not sure what to say.

OP, a three-person English department (I'm assuming it's English, based on your other thread about your HOD aspirations) seems tiny for a core subject! I'm assuming you must be in quite a small school.

Haha yes! Very. That’s why I’ve worked closely with the last few hods and I get the opportunity have an open dialogue about quite a lot of things that need developing and understanding how to manage a team etc. My last hod that left a while ago, he was fantastic. He just knew how to make the department a great place to work. He honestly taught me so much. I don’t think I’d be where I am today without a hod like him. I do aspire to have the very same approach when I (fingers crossed) reach hod level.

Whilst this may be true, OP, you also need to consider the opposing argument: you have been in a very small, 3 person department, but unless you are applying for posts in similarly small schools / departments, working in such a small department is likely to be a very different experience from working in and leading a larger department staffed with many more colleagues, which is likely to be the case in another school you apply to, given you are in a core subject such as English.

I've just realised your other thread.

You must teach in a tiny school for there to be 3 in an English dept.

A bigger dept in a different school is a totally different ballgame.

Actually, OP, do you work in a multi-academy trust school? In another thread of yours, you refer to your CEO of the company you work in? https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/chat/5183403-why-are-some-women-so-nasty?page=3 Maybe I'm being naive but I've only heard of multi-academy trusts with CEOs.

It’s a MAT and I’ve also been transferred across when we’ve been short staffed and I do one day a week at a different mat in the trust, so I’m aware of working amongst other teams regularly.

Whilst it is small we’re a mat. I teach at one other mat one day a week and I also have been transferred out when we’re short staffed at the other academies in the trust.

Why on earth would they send you to another MAT?

Lack of staff and not wanting to use supply consistently at the other academy so I have gone in and taught until we’ve had a perm member of staff.

So not a different MAT, but a different academy within your trust? There is a huge difference and it makes your posts very confusing if your terminology is muddled.

How on earth do you have the non contact time to do that without creating a cover need in your own school?

And even then, why would you give up that time?