Potentially Difficult Colleague, Or Am I Being Too Sensitive?

[Guest]

Hi guys,

Hope someone can give me a little advice here with a new colleague. I am the reception teacher in a one form entry school, but this year the school is about to start the move to 2 form entry. This means that we are having 2 reception classes, and therefore recruited a new teacher. Up to now I have been the Early Years Coordinator, as my class was the early years, but requested that they try to hire someone with experience who could take over this role from me. I have recently been dealing with an ongoing family illness and I didn't want to be given such a responisibilty when I felt I couldn't put in all the additional time that the role would need. Someone was hired with the same reception experience as myself, who was happy to be the coordinator and she seemed nice enough.

The first alarm bells rang when she turned up unannounced one afternoon when we were in the middle of our learning in the classroom. She said she was on PPA at her school so thought she would pop along to talk about the ordering of furniture and resources for the new classroom. I quickly moved her outside, explaining it wasn't a good time, but feel free to have a look through the catalogues in the staff room. She did just that and gave me a list of the things she wanted for the classroom for me to order at the end of last year. Much of it we already had - and enough for the two classrooms so i ordered some of the items that I knew we would need more of but not all of it. Once the children went we had a long chat and we booked in a couple of days that she would come in - so that I knew there would be no more unexpected visits. I was not happy that she thought it was ok to arrive and want time with me while i was with the children in class. The two booked visits took place which were fine, but then she turned up unannounced a second time. This time she didn't come to the classroom but I bumped into her when i was on my PPA pouring over more catalogues. Again she had a new list of things she wanted, and I explained why some of things were not going to order because we had them. She then told me that she wanted to order more of some resources because many of the things in my class were "tatty". They are used resources, but not broken and perfectly good for using - again i wasn't happy at her tactless behaviour. She asked if she could see our dressing up boxes and what topics we had clothes for. I took her to the class and showed her the cupboards all labelled with the different topics. I left, to carry out PPA and heard that she had started sorting through clothes on the floor of the classroom, with many children gathering round and trying to run off with some of the clothes. The teacher in charge had to tell them that they couldn't play with them, and to go to the role play where there were plenty out - this teacher was not happy.

We are now in the summer holidays and I have not heard from her at all. I popped into school today to find that she has been in my classroom without telling me, and has started bagging up resources, piling boxes and made a "throwing out" pile on the carpet. We are both moving to a new block so our classes are side by side, but for now that classroom is still mine and has been for the last couple of years. Am I being a bit territorial, or am I right to be annoyed that she has started sorting things without consulting me?

She is full of ideas for our department which is great, but many of them don't fit in with the policies of the school. I have had to on a couple of occasions say no to some of her ideas because I know management won't go for them. I don't know if this has annoyed her and she now feels she can't let me know when she wants to do things. We do need to go through the resources together to split things, but our new classrooms aren't ready yet, so there isn't much we can do until they are. I am just worried that she is getting a bit beyond herself and isn't considering me, my practice and my knowledge of the school and its ethos. Should i be worried, and if so what can I do to get on a better footing with her? The new year hasn't started yet, and I already feel that she is treading on my toes and underminding what i do and have done in reception. She is very ambitious and i get a strong feeling that she doesn't like my approach and attitude, even though my headteacher is very pleased with the work i do in reception. I am a laid back type and have not got the same ambitions she has, but at the same time i do care about the children in my class and their progress. I am also worried that next year she is going to direct what i do with little discussion. I know i will find this difficult when I have been used to such autonomy these last few years. Am I being silly, is this all just a territory thing on my part which i have to let go? or is she being a little over the top?

 

Sorry to have rambled on,

any advice on this situation will be greatly appreciated. I am just so worried!

[Guest tinkerbell]

I think she is rude too.You are right to be upset at her behaviour....she could be just keen and over enthusiastic?

 

I think I would leave a note in your classroom to say would she please leave the sorting of the equipment until you are both in their together.(I know that I have bought lots of equipment myself or brought stuff in from home from my children so would be cheesed off if my things were picked over!...I would write that some of this equipment is mine personally!!)

Once you are together you make lists and share the equipment,make sure you get some of the new equipment too,you may need to divide the 'tatty' and the new.Explain thatthe school budget would not stretch to all the equipment she desired but think of ways you could share or get things in the future (ptfa,table top sales ,fundraising etc)

You need to work together and finding time to plan ,sort etc would be a good thing good luck.

 

tinkerbellx

[Guest heleng]

Like tinkerbell said maybe she is just being over enthusiastic?

 

But yes, I would be upset at her behaviour. I think a note is a good idea, alot of the resources in my classroom are my resources that I have bought as well.

 

Could someone else explain about the resources/ restricted budget etc? I was in a similar position and basically we are going to two form entry and the new teacher is moving with reception into year 1. When she moved into Reception she made a list of things she wanted. I explained she couldn't have everything and we would have to look carefully at all the resources and compromise. This worked ok but now she is moving into year 1 again she was making a list of all the resources she would need for year 1 for setting up a second class. I explained again there was very little money and she would only be allowed necessities. She ignored me and tried to go ahead with ordering loads of stuff and was told in no uncertain terms by the head there was not enough money and she would have to share resources with the other year 1 class.

 

When you have said no have you explained that the ideas don't fit in with the school policies rather then just saying no? Can you arrange a time to go through planning/ ideas with her where you can guide her about things that work well for your children and school as well as listening to her ideas? You are going to have to let her try some ideas (including some you know won't work) just so she can feel she is establishing herself.

 

Best of luck and I hope you can manage to get along, I know what you are going through

 

Helen