I Need A Listening Ear!

[Guest]

First day back today.

 

Children were great (except no-one ever introduces the new ones to me - I have to find out for myself).

 

 

Management were horrendous.

 

It would have been good manners for them to tell me that they had engaged new staff. We have one room. Up to 26 (woops, they sometimes take 30+, but don't breathe a word to OFSTED). All us staff work together. Why has no-one mentioned that there are 2 new staff?

 

OK, I know them. They were mums of children in July. Now they are staff. But why cannot anyone just tell me. OK, at some point in the morning, they put on their pale blue polo shirts - and yes, I know then!!!

 

Do they have CRB clearance? Do I need to know that? Does it matter?

 

We now have 11 staff. Look at us!!! We really are looking at the National Standards and applying them. 11 staff. 2 have NVQ3. The rest of us have nothing recognised.

 

What did I say? Don't breathe a word to OFSTED?

 

Two new staff who wouldn't know the the difference between the national standards and the national anthem. Two new staff who haven't even the faintest idea that there is a curriculum.

 

Tonight I wrote my cv. Someone must want a competent early years person.

 

I cannot carry on working with such wonderful children and such useless adults (me, minion, said to manager today: "new little lad, uses either hand for felt pen". "that's great" said leader. I said "can we ask parent if he has left/right preference". "no need" she said.).

 

Well, if they don't know whether or not children are right/left handed or ambidextrous, can't we just know if they are toilet trained?

 

No

 

But I had to sign a sheet acknowledging allergies to: eggs, tomatoes raisins (but not grapes, lol), milk (but not butter, cheese. yogurt, etc).

 

Silly me asked if any of these were real life-threatening allergies (i.e. anaphylaxis). No I don't need to know.

 

Well, suffice it to say: tonight I wrote my cv. Much as I love the children, this is no way to manage.

 

Someone, please tell me I'm not the one going loopy.

 

Diane

[Susan]

Diane, doesnt sound like you're over reacting to me! It certaily wouldnt pass muster in schools, at least I hope not but sometimes we are all unpleasantly surprised.

Hope getting all that off your chest enabled you to sleep and things will seem more manageble this morning. At the end of the day though, if we're not happy we have to walk. Please take care of yourself and hang on to the lovely children that you work with!

[Beau]

Diane,

 

You really must get out of there! I know its disappointing but some people really don't care about the standards and will just do enough to get by. My chairperson was like that last year and kept telling me that we shouldn't bother with half of it, as she thought it was a complete nonsense for a small playgroup to be working to those standards. She even said that it's better to do the minimum to get by and only do more if you're pulled up about it. And she was talking about the care of her own daughter!! Needless to say I ignored her, but in my case I run the playgroup session and she worked fulltime so was never there. Obviously if I were battling with it on a daily basis in the workplace it would've been a different matter. You're not going to change these people. I'm sure there are lots of places around who would value someone like you.

[hali]

I agree with Beau, there are some wonderful groups out there that must need you get out before ofsted arrive!!!!!

 

Good luck will keep fingers crossed for you. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

[Rea]

Utterly awful Diane, just in case you dont leave and Ofsted do an inspection while you're there, write down all your concerns, with dates of when you spoke to the manager. It's advice which I really wished I'd followed myself a few years ago. You dont have to carry the can for this laziness. Good luck with whatever choice you make.

[Rea]

This should really be on the 'funny poems' post, but I didnt want to take Dianes post off (and anyway, hopefully it will make you laugh Diane)Hope the link works.

[Guest]

Hi Diane

 

it's horrible being in a situation like yours. You want to stay because you enjoy being with the children but it's driving you mad working with unprofessional staff. You should do what is best for you in the end. I was in the same situation about 15 months ago. I'm a qualified teacher but I was working in a pre-school I loved being with the young children but a few members of staff were just unbelievably incompetent in my eyes. For example, arguing with another member of staff in front of the children, and not providing support to the supervisor and being thoroughtly miserable and leading to low staff morale. At the staff apprasial I pointed all this out to the chairperson who was completely unwilling to acknowledge the situation let alone do anything about it and so there and then I offered my resignation. That still didn't sway the chairperson so I just thought -your loss! In the end they did me a favour. I was lucky to have been working at my local school as a part time Teaching Assistant at the same time and was later offered a Teaching position for the summer term. I didn't think I was ready to go back to teaching but I had a great time. It all worked out wonderfully for me and I'm very happy and content with my job situation. I suppose what I'm trying to say in a roundabout kind of way is you never know what's around the corner to me you come across as such a caring and dedicated person that you would be a very positive asset to any setting.

 

I and others - I'm sure - would be interested to hear what you decide to do Diane.

If you need to let off more steam you know where we all are !

 

Good Luck

Denise

[Guest]

Thanks all for your words of support.

 

I am going to move on, most definitely. I slept on the decision. I have a couple of things to apply for. Probably I will try to find something for a January start. It seems a long time off, but by then I will have my level 4.

 

It is really clear to me that I can't work like this any more. I am not looking for perfection - it cannot possibly exist. What I do need is to work with people who have a professional approach, are willing to share ideas, and to support and help each other.

 

In the meantime, I am resigning from adulthood (thank you, rea, lovely idea, if only...).

 

Sorry, must dash - need to play Cranium Cadoo with 10yr old. Oops, maybe I have resigned.

 

Thanks again,

 

Diane.

[Beau]

Good for you Diane! You know you'll feel much better getting out of there. The group will have to pull up their socks at some point but I would imagine they'll do it in bad grace and probably not as well as you would like anyway. It's a shame for the kids but you really were battling against the tide. I hope you sleep well now that you've made the decision.

[Sue R]

May I echo Carol's comments? You know you've got our support, here, so just off- load anytime!

Good luck to you, let us know how you get on.

 

Sue