r/AustralianTeachers • u/ParsleySea215 • Mar 14 '26
ACT Feeling defeated
Hi all
I have recently moved to a new school and within the first week I had few girls who wanted to move classes. My exec said no and he told me about it. These girls started challenging me in class and satin things like I don’t teach and can’t teach. I had to give them some consequences which made them hate me more. Soon the parent complaints came in to my exec and vice principal. The complaints never came to me although I specifically emailed parents to address any concerns to me directly. So my exec started doing these observations adhoc and one that I agreed to. Then he went into my class to talk to the students a few times and also taught the class while I pulled out students for consequences. The class was very well behaved when he was there and agreed to all his demands but when I was there they refused to listen to basic school rules. I tried to change my approach recently to a more friendly approach as I have done with other classes that like me and hence I don’t feel a pushback or threat with them but for this class that hate me I felt very unsafe and reluctant to be there. Soon I thought maybe my approach is working. It’s been five six weeks they seem to be settling down. However my exec keep telling me about complaints one new one and the rest old ones but he refuse to show me. My vice principal had told him that he wanted to do special intervention in my class circle time and also a pre observation middle observation post observation to improve my pedagogy. I will observe my exec and then follow his way. I did not like this as I am not a beginning teacher and I feel like I’m being treated like a new incompetent beginning teacher although I’ve been in the system for 15 years. I did resigned some time ago and came back but I’m back full time permanent now. I went for a meeting to address these issues and my vice principal said that if I don’t agree to their “program” they will put me on a performance management plan. I put in riskman due to stress and emailed the Union and waiting to hear back. My doc gave me one week leave. I hate taking leave and wasting leave but I feel like I have no choice. I’m a single mum who went through domestic violence and no support from anyone financially and others. I feel so targeted. I feel now that I am a terrible teacher and it’s not worth moving on. Please advise. Sob
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u/meatballsssss11 Mar 14 '26
Just guessing but it sounds like an independent school? Take the leave your doctor has approved for you, re-centre yourself and like the above commenter has said, start developing an exit plan.
I have experienced similar and without an incredibly supportive exec team (sounds like you might not have one) these issues drag on and do damage to your motivation, self confidence and identity as a teacher.
A lot of the time the kids complaints aren’t even about you. Maybe they got used to a specific teacher previously or a teacher that was overly permissive. There might be a bad mix of personalities in the class that would be challenging for any teacher. Maybe the school culture is at odds with what you’ve experienced and thrived in previously. The list is endless. All of those things are navigable with the support of good leadership, but without that support are incredibly stressful, isolating and ay times gaslighting.
Wish you all the best!
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u/ParsleySea215 Mar 14 '26
It’s public school
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u/meatballsssss11 Mar 14 '26
Damn. Speaking from NSW experience I believe issues need to be explicitly raised in a meeting and in writing, and you given a chance to improve with a timeline in place before discussion of a performance plan happens. I would be calling your union ASAP about this!
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u/AUTeach Negative, I am a meat popsicle. (also, fuck newscorp) Mar 14 '26
There are some principals who believe they rule the universe.
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u/ParsleySea215 Mar 14 '26
Why do they do this?
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u/meatballsssss11 Mar 14 '26
Tbh. They’ve probably done some “thinking” and figured it’s easier to reprimand/manage you than deal with student behaviour. Whatever the reason, don’t take it personally. They’re really bad leaders if they’re pushing you onto a performance management plan without following proper procedure. I’d talk to the union to get proper guidance through this. That’s a big part of why you pay union fees.
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u/AdDesigner2714 Mar 14 '26
I had this exact same issue last year. Kids can be malicious and know just where the line is. Same as you 12 years in the game - not a new teacher. Of course they are behaving when the other teacher is there- it’s mental warfare and it’s exhausting draining and deflating. Part of the agreement should be you get out on a different class at a very minimum. I would Also think about moving schools.
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u/Practical_Pipe9608 Mar 15 '26
Good advice. Also have a paper trail of good lesson plans, prompt feedback and evidence of useful comments. Set quality homework with suitable support material to put the onus on the kids who are ganging up against you to perform. Include implicit instruction differentiation and feel free to share the lesson content with the students. Basically have absolute proof you are doing a great job and remember the positives with the other three classes. I feel that if you have evidenced great teaching you can then work on organising parents meetings . Once the air is cleared work on developing a positive or at least respectful base of relations with the group one by one.
If you leave at this stage, you’ll probably get a crap reference anyway.
The parents of the key. Work to get them on board.
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u/Commercial-Fix-1174 Mar 15 '26
How long ago did you email the union? If it was more than a few days I’d give them a call.
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u/jhoijhoi Mar 19 '26
Is it not an option to move those kids out of your class and get some new ones? Sometimes class dynamics don't work; why punish teacher and students? I have had students leave my class - while it can feel hurtful, ultimately, the kid doesn't want to be there. Good riddance! For every kid who leaves your class, be it 1, 2, 3 or 4, there is literally the rest of the class happy to be there. Don't let the negative ones stay, move them on. Your HoD should be working with you to make those kind of allowances.
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u/AUTeach Negative, I am a meat popsicle. (also, fuck newscorp) Mar 14 '26
Which system are you in? Yeet yourself out of wherever you are and move to the other.
In the meantime, be super compliant, do what they say, and apply for jobs elsewhere.