Query: Support staff & teaching staff relationship

[andy]

... during the holidays we all cook together in the food tech room

Half of the staff here do that during the holidays... that's me cooking my Super Noodles - the caretaker doesn't. It's quiet round here during holidays!

I don't feel any "us and them syndrome". The only person I did feel this off once was a supply teacher who was supposed to be covering a long term absence - he wasn't here long. I get the feeling that Office staff and the LSAs feel it a bit, but tbh - I think that is them more than the teachers

Andy

[browolf]

All our faculties have their own staff room/offices so hardly anyone uses the main one any more. Recently alterations cut it in half lol. I've only really seen teachers whose departments are nearby and support staff in there.

We get on with all staff but ones that see us the most best, or have their office next door (IT). Some even come and hang out in our office. Clearly we're much more interesting than teachers haha

Other technicians in the past have socialised with teachers privately. Me I dont do trendy nightclubs. I go to the staff parties,

[SteveT]

I don`t mind any of the teachers or even SMT coming to my staffroom ........ as long as they know their place in the pecking order, make me tea and supply chocolate biscuits! :P

[Midget]

hobnob?

[sidewinder]

I get on well with most staff, teaching or otherwise
I wouldnt normally go as far as having lunch with them but thats mainly because I choose not to

I get on really well with some teachers, although some departments can be a bit cliquey (typically the ones with the fit female teachers so I dont get a chance to talk to them much )

Non teaching staff I see more though and we go on their functions etc more than teaching ones but mostly everything is equal

I get on best with technicians from other departments (such as art and music) as they are normally quite young like me and we can relate to each other

[Sylv3r]

I get on here with the majority if not all of the teachers. I was once a pupil here 6 years ago, so was extremely difficult at first but the older generation of staff have moved on now in the last 2 years teachers have been getting jobs here as NQT's and are younger then me.

I also play 5-a-side football on a friday after school agaist the 6th form with other teaching members of staff and reguarly go to the pub for a pint afterwards.

As far as Christmas do's we generally go out as a whole support staff as the last couple of years they hasn't been a whole staff night out. The last one for all staff was the post OFSTED p**s up which was a good night... I think!

[ranj]

never have time for a lunch. its usually eating lunch whilst working and having a quick look at the world news and sport on bbc and checking my football fantasy league.

[GrumbleDook]

'Non-teachers'? We don't have them at our school ... we have associate staff, and heaven help the person I hear say 'non-teacher' in a derogatory tone.

We now have a few more associate staff than teaching staff ... and the teachers are glad for it as it takes huge chunks of work off their backs and provides a nice, comfortable environment (relatively) to work in.

Everyone goes to the staffroom at sometime during the day ... it always used to be that during lunch the support office closed, but for the last 2 1/2 years there has been a rota of who has an early lunch, a normal lunch or a late lunch (having hundreds of minions makes this possible) so now people *want* to escape the office to have a breather.

We have an embargo on people catching us in the staffroom unless it is urgent and serious. If they ask for something stupid they get a polite reply of, "there is someone up in the office ... feel free to pop up".

They get 2 chances ... and if they insist on being pushy the get told to go away we are having lunch.

I do have the occasional run-in with the odd teacher (the brave ones ... or those that have forgotten how scathing I can be) and the message that if they choose to allow themselves to be disturbed during lunch then that is fine ... they get paid a lot more money than most of the team and so they shouldn't moan about having to work at home to mark book, prepare lessons etc ... they get a nice wage and nice holidays to cover it. If they would like to donate some of the 1/4 of a year they have on holiday or the film start wages then feel free to hassle the team during lunch/breaks.

And this attitude from me gets support from the majority of teachers ... work hard, play hard ... but don't disturb *anybody's* tea break!

[farmerste]

I get on great with the staff at my school, and i find the best way to make my job easy is to fall out with them, and if I can't fall out with them, i tell them i fancy them.

only joking

[derer1]

I avoid the staff room like the plague - very cliquey, and all you get is bothered while eating. I generally eat offsite (Ahh, Sweet & Tasty Sandwich Shop!) or in the server room.

There's very much a two tier attitude here, and often you're lucky if people actually remmeber your name, rather than just addressing you as 'the Techie' or 'The technician'

[Midget]

There's very much a two tier attitude here, and often you're lucky if people actually remmeber your name, rather than just addressing you as 'the Techie' or 'The technician'

You should demand they call you "Sir"

"Sir, you're fat bald lazy techy SAH!"

[localzuk]

The general relationship here is good. There are a few issues that need working out, such as a general feeling that when someone bumps into me I have the time then and there to fix their problem but other than that it is fine.

I do occasionally eat in the staff room - when I want to get away from the kids, and times when I want to get away from staff I go home - I live a couple of minutes from school.

[JoeyH]

I generally do not eat lunch in the staff rooms. I've found that whenever I eat in a staff room, everyone there has a computer question. I don't mind helping people with their computers, as that's what I'm there to do, but it gets annoying when it takes forty five minutes to each lunch because I have to answer a question in between each bite. Instead I normally just eat lunch in the tech office.

[gaz350]

Our office is huge! Used to be the staff room. The staffroom is now in what I would call a small classroom on the ground floor, seems to get used alot more since. I generally make the effort to have lunch in the staffroom(no food policy at desks) so it's the only quietish place to eat.

Unless it's been impossible to have split lunches amongst the team then like others a polite reminder to staff and a gentle nudge in the direction of itsupport helpdesk. Most staff respect our lunch but it's taken 2 years to get it like it is.

Although I always seem to end up having heated discussions with lazy staff who hate changes that have been implemented by slt. They pay your wages, if you don't like it find another job! Your lucky to have one!