New Job Challenges

[JAM2b]

In a nutshell:
I have a new job at a daycare and preschool where I am in a position of planning, organizing, and a very low level of authority. The two co-workers I'm with are inexperienced and uneducated in childcare. I have experience in childcare and education for it. They have been at this center a little longer than I have, and are set in their ways and like to keep things simple and as easy for them as possible.

I was asked to take over this class as lead teacher to get structure and routine for them. I'm supposed to be getting the chaos under control and the class organized and flowing well. The co-workers are very resistant to the changes that need to be made.

Essentially, not only do I have to teach this class, I have to teach these other two how to be child care teachers, but they are not wanting to cooperate. They want to keep doing what they do the way they do it, and for me to some how magically make the situation better without their help and without changing anything.

I'm at a loss for what to do. I plan to talk with directors to ask them how to proceed, but I have doubts that this is going to be resolved without a great amount of conflict.

Does anyone have any ideas of how to lead people at work who don't want to be lead? How do you do it without looking like a jerk?

If you want to read the whole rant, here it is:

The week before Christmas I was hired to work in a childcare center. I made the decision to seek out a new job I was not working in a field that I enjoyed most. I really missed working with young children.

I was very excited at first because this is the first childcare center and preschool I have worked for that is corporately owned and operated. It has benefits and competitive pay. They also have solid policies in place in regard to how to interact with the children and deal with behaviors that can be a challenge.

I became very disappointed early on after starting. Very few of the teachers follow policy. The directors want them to, but they simply don't comply. It is not that they do not understand or do not know how to go about what is required, but that they refuse because they don't want to. From the teachers' perspectives, for many of them, it is an "us against them" mentality rather than respect for their employer and supervisors and a desire to trust the research and experience backed policies.

I was moved around a little at first to see where I would be a good fit as far as classroom and co-workers go. Now they have settled on placing me with a group of 18 month - 2 1/2 year olds. This is the age group I have the most experience with. I started out in December as an assistant teacher, but because of how I have responded to the non-compliance of the other teachers and teacher assistants, and they have been able to see that I do have the experience and knowledge that I claimed to have had, they decided to make me the lead teacher of this class, and move the lead teacher who was there to another one. Again, I was excited at the prospect at first.

Now that I have spent a week transitioning into this new class and trying to step into the role of lead teacher with two assistant teachers my head is spinning, and I am so stressed out that I cannot sleep. I am very confused about how to move forward with my co-workers. I was told they wanted a different lead teacher because the one they had wasn't doing much with the class, and they were out of control. Now that I'm in there, they don't want me to change anything because they say it will mess up the children's routine and "that's not how we do it."

The class has no routine, no structure. The children misbehave so much because they are bored, and they are competing for toys and for attention. Part of the competition for toys is because one of the assistant teachers has been taking toys and storing them in a closet so that they won't have too many toys to make a mess with and have to clean up. I was told to do what I want with this class. Teach the other two how to teach in childcare. Get a routine and structure. Get behaviors and accidents under control.

The teachers do not work together as a team to do what the class is supposed to be doing. They each do their own thing. Sometimes they are working with kids, and sometimes not. In all centers I have worked in before, the teachers worked together to do the same thing with kids at the same time. If it's circle time, they all sit with the kids for circle time. If it's art time, they all supervise and demonstrate and assist the kids at the same time. If it is time clean up toys, they all get the kids to clean up toys together, at the same time. It works. Because instead of one teacher trying to get 15 2-years-olds to pick up toys, you have three moving around the room, directing them and helping them pick up if necessary.

Their "art" is not the kids' art. Almost every piece of art is hand print or foot print. Then the teachers make the rest of the picture look like something that goes with the curriculum theme. The kids don't even get to paint their own palm or foot to make the print themselves. The assistant teachers call the kids one at a time, sit them up on the counter so what they are doing is out of reach of all the other kids, hold their hand or foot still, and brush the paint on for them. These kids don't touch paint brushes, crayons, markers, chalk... nothing.

We had a meeting with each other that the director required because it was not going well. The other two have responded with most of my concerns with defensiveness, hurt feelings, and even anger. Everything I mentioned that needed to be changed was met with these comments from the other two:

"They make a mess."
"They won't do it."
"It won't work."
"They will just run around."
"It's easier to do it this way."
"That's not how we do it."
"You can't change the schedule; it will mess up their routine." (they have no real routine)

and my face is like

The "that's not how we do it" really blows my mind because how they do it, is not working. They have even said that it doesn't work, and they don't know how to run the classroom. Here I am, telling them what does work, and they are arguing and refusing.

I told them I have experience and education to back what I'm saying. I've done this. This is how it works best. They don't believe me. They say it won't work, and it is too hard to do it that way.

What the underlying problem is is that they do not want the job to be hard or stressful.
They don't want to clean more messes than they have to. They would rather control the environment and the activities so much that they don't have to teach the children how to control themselves or make good choices. They are in effect stunting their development physically and academically.

 

[dysert]

You might have to look like a jerk. If you have the education and experience that the others don't, I think the Directors would appreciate your using that instead of hiding it under a barrel. You can remind them of your credentials, lay out your plan for "your" class, and explain why it will be better than the status quo.

You don't need to denigrate the other teachers or probably even mention them. Just talk to the Directors about you, your plan, and how it's demonstrably better than the other way. If they care about improving the quality of the center they should give heed to what you say. If they don't, why did they hire you?

 

[expos4ever]

Good luck with all that. I have a lot of experience in the "politics" of the workplace (as an underling, not a manager). I am sure you will not surprised to learn that this goes both ways - the employees can see their boss / manager as unreasonable as well.

Here is why I think this is tricky for you to deal with: As the "leader", you are placed in a position of power relative to your subordinates. Trust me (and I probably don't need to tell you this), the people under a manager / leader will be very sensitive to the possibility that the manager / leader is taking advantage of their positional authority to essentially browbeat the subordinates into submission. In short, the presence of an asymmetry in power tends to distort the process of people coming to a reasonable common understanding about what needs to be done.

All of this to say: please ensure that you do not resort to the "I am in charge so we do it my way" line unless you really have no choice. That kind of approach will only alienate the others.

Let me be clear: I am not trying to suggest that you are in any way abusing your "authority. As someone who has lived his life on the "weak" side of power relationships in the workplace, I simply wish to raise this issue for your consideration - I have no reason to believe you are not doing the very best you can to resolve your situation. Again, good luck - bad feelings in the workplace can be a big problem for all concerned.

 

[Goodbook]

Eek teachers that dont want to teach!
Well...reading Letter to Timothy helps as Paul was writing to young Timothy called to minister and teach the church who could be resistant and set in their ways. It is meant as an encouragement.

Pray about this that their hearts be changed before you do anything.

I think Jesus must have encountered this with his disciples saying they didnt want to be bothered looking after children but he said to them 'suffer the little children and forbid them not' 'let them come to me'

Having the children, winning them over with attention and kindness will demonstrate how much you love them and are caring for their wellbeing not treating them like a nmber or animals. Which is basically what I see many ppl doing. That is so sad!

Call them by name...these children are vulnerable..their parents are working and never have the time for them. They dont deserve to be treated this way.

 

[expos4ever]

You don't need to denigrate the other teachers or probably even mention them. Just talk to the Directors about you, your plan, and how it's demonstrably better than the other way.

Good advice, in my view. People get very upset if they are criticized "behind their backs", and understandably so. Of course in some situations one does indeed have to "name names". But unless you have done everything you can to solve the problem directly with the subordinates involved, I think it unwise to even give the appearance of having complained about them to your superiors.

 

[Goodbook]

If you implementing something NEW and ppl havent done it before...give it a trial and let them see if your way is better or not.

But you have to be clear its a trial.

Some scripture advice...Let them taste and see that the Lord is good.

Yes many people will say the old way is better just as ppl are used to old wine but they hadnt even TASTED the new wine.

Dont be pushy about this though nothing comes across as worse like you trying to completely take over. Allow your co workers to see that you arent against them but for them.

 

[mina]

If they are not following policy and this has been going on for a while and they blatantly ignore instruction; then they should not be working there anymore. IMO, this is a concern for the directors b/c it concerns the reputation of their facility and the developmental progress of their students. Do they ever observe or have to evaluate the workers? I have not worked in a preschool, but I have worked in schools and educational environments. All you can do is try to get them on board and motivate them to do the right things. Do you have to evaluate them as a lead teacher? Why are not the directors speaking to the co-teachers about following policy? I think it's irresponsible of them to just put you in there and say "fix it" when this has probably been going on for a long time. If they want you to fix it; then they also need to back you and follow through on what policy dictates including any consequences. I'm sure they are aware of what is going on, but maybe talk with your superiors about backing you as a lead teacher and inviting them to walk through your class everyday (they should be doing that anyway). They also should be sending any workers inexperienced in working with children to training. Again, I've never worked at a pre-K or had my children in one, but do they just hire anyone without any training or experience with kids to teach there? That is scary and a liability for them.

 

[Goodbook]

Just want to ask is this a christian preschool?

It doesnt sound like it. Working with atheists is going to be tough no matter what. Thats why you need to pray...because following the rules and going by the textbook isnt necessarily always going to work either. Obviously the workers havent studied or had time to. You have to allow for that they need time and incentive to do this.

But above all Your spiritual instruction manual needs to be the Bible.

 

[Kit Sigmon]

Directors of the daycare are shirking their duties and are wanting you to do their jobs?
Co-workers who don't teach according to daycare standards?
Such workers typically get warned about such actions, if they don't comply, then they get fired.

 

[JAM2b]

Thanks for all the responses.

It is not a Christian company specifically, but it is not an unChristian company either. Many of the people who work there are Christians. All of those in authority have high moral standards, and are very kind people.

Licensing requirement for daycare and preschool teaching is for them to only have a high school diploma or GED. You have to have 12 hours of training per year to maintain employment, but that does not begin until after your hire date. They have both worked here less than one full year, have no previous experience, and did not have a good lead teacher to work under when they started.

Part of the problem is that there is a big difference between daycare and preschool teaching. In daycare, it's basically intense babysitting. You have some structure, routine, and activities, but it's not curriculum based with learning objectives. The main concern is the safety, health, and supervision of the children. In preschool, the children are taught age appropriate academics in ways that are suitable for their age group. Much of it looks like playing or singing or art. But they are laying the foundations for their education. Preschool requires much more structure and routine, and requires the children to participate appropriately for their age. These two coworkers have been taught to do daycare only in a preschool environment. This center is private, and it is very expensive. The parents pay a higher price for the curriculum and structure. They expect results, which are reasonable when the classes operate correctly.

The director, assistant director, and curriculum coordinator already know how bad the situation in the classroom is. That's why they asked me to step into the position. The assistant teachers had already gone to the assistant director earlier in the week to complain about me trying to change things. That is why we had to meet with each other to talk about changes and how to go about it.

There is no way to talk with our superiors without them knowing who I am talking about. The two assistant teachers in the class room are the only ones in there. No matter how I try to say it, they will know I am talking about those two. And also they know that we have to work together to get this done, and they have now realized that the other two are really not onboard with what needs to happen.

I went to the assistant director on Friday afternoon, and talked with her about the situation. They are going to have the three of us meet again with her and the curriculum coordinator so that they can help the others understand what I'm trying to do and why. They are going to have the curriculum coordinator spend time observing and giving input in our class. She said she does not want to reprimand the others until she is sure they have had a chance to learn and understand. They thought that the other two would listen to me, but since the others are not, they are going to step in and back up what I'm trying to do.

 

[Goodbook]

ok well it looks like the company needs to allow time for these assistant teachers to have proper training so they up to standard. You can't reprimand them if they haven't even been given the training to do it right. Companies are supposed to provide training or send their workers off to outside studies or training to upskill. If the organisation is a good one it will reimburse them the cost.

 

[Goodbook]

it also sounds like you are NOT meant to be their boss or superior but their TEACHER. So teach.

Did Jesus boss his disciples around? expecting them to immediately get it? No he was patient and taught them.

 

[JAM2b]

I went into this position knowing that I would have to teach them, the problem is they don't want to be taught. Also, they have had several months to get started on their training and opportunities to attend, but have not began because they know they have a full year. These ladies do not want to listen. They do not want to follow policy. They argue and refuse to cooperate. They do what they want regardless of what they are told. Much of it is not a lack of understand, but a refusal to comply.

 

[DusmoProkuon]

Proverbs 14:4 “Where no oxen are, the crib is clean: but much increase [of riches] is by the strength of the ox.”

Listen, friend, it is ascribed in the scriptures that conduct is classified under a "sluggard" whose aims are minimalistic howbeit it is not successful in God's perspective. They might be obdurate to reasoning as it also elaborates on their own mentality seeking only their desires (in this case ease) without foresight on the repercussions of their misactions. It is not good for the children to not exercise their creativity and playfulness by applying such limitations as psychologists maintain the notion these yield their work ability and social behavior later on. And they may become anti-social, instead, being frustrated there often never allowing growth to their full potential.

First, pray to our Lord that your colleagues may be bestowed divine perception to broaden their perspective that their work is intended not for their own benefits, but the children.

Second, after praying, appeal your case to the superiors with your concerns and its disadvantages (such as the one hereinabove) so that it may collaborate with His spiritual movement for them to grasp the situation in its entirety.

Third, now that our Lord will be working, you may in addition "set an example" among your colleagues by doing things correctly to show how successful the plans are when changes follow. They will see that the children will be more docile and happier on your side, making things more manageable for them to pick up on them.

 

[Goodbook]

Sorry cant help you but you need to take it up with your employers but obviously they are trusting you to teach reluctant learners. Tip- Make it fun.


If they dont want to learn then its going to be tough the organisation is better off firing these slackers and employing those who actually want to care for children.

 

[SkyWriting]

In a nutshell:
I have a new job at a daycare and preschool where I am in a position of planning, organizing, and a very low level of authority. The two co-workers I'm with are inexperienced and uneducated in childcare. I have experience in childcare and education for it. They have been at this center a little longer than I have, and are set in their ways and like to keep things simple and as easy for them as possible.

I was asked to take over this class as lead teacher to get structure and routine for them. I'm supposed to be getting the chaos under control and the class organized and flowing well. The co-workers are very resistant to the changes that need to be made.

Essentially, not only do I have to teach this class, I have to teach these other two how to be child care teachers, but they are not wanting to cooperate. They want to keep doing what they do the way they do it, and for me to some how magically make the situation better without their help and without changing anything.

I'm at a loss for what to do. I plan to talk with directors to ask them how to proceed, but I have doubts that this is going to be resolved without a great amount of conflict.

Does anyone have any ideas of how to lead people at work who don't want to be lead? How do you do it without looking like a jerk?

If you want to read the whole rant, here it is:

The week before Christmas I was hired to work in a childcare center. I made the decision to seek out a new job I was not working in a field that I enjoyed most. I really missed working with young children.

I was very excited at first because this is the first childcare center and preschool I have worked for that is corporately owned and operated. It has benefits and competitive pay. They also have solid policies in place in regard to how to interact with the children and deal with behaviors that can be a challenge.

I became very disappointed early on after starting. Very few of the teachers follow policy. The directors want them to, but they simply don't comply. It is not that they do not understand or do not know how to go about what is required, but that they refuse because they don't want to. From the teachers' perspectives, for many of them, it is an "us against them" mentality rather than respect for their employer and supervisors and a desire to trust the research and experience backed policies.

I was moved around a little at first to see where I would be a good fit as far as classroom and co-workers go. Now they have settled on placing me with a group of 18 month - 2 1/2 year olds. This is the age group I have the most experience with. I started out in December as an assistant teacher, but because of how I have responded to the non-compliance of the other teachers and teacher assistants, and they have been able to see that I do have the experience and knowledge that I claimed to have had, they decided to make me the lead teacher of this class, and move the lead teacher who was there to another one. Again, I was excited at the prospect at first.

Now that I have spent a week transitioning into this new class and trying to step into the role of lead teacher with two assistant teachers my head is spinning, and I am so stressed out that I cannot sleep. I am very confused about how to move forward with my co-workers. I was told they wanted a different lead teacher because the one they had wasn't doing much with the class, and they were out of control. Now that I'm in there, they don't want me to change anything because they say it will mess up the children's routine and "that's not how we do it."

The class has no routine, no structure. The children misbehave so much because they are bored, and they are competing for toys and for attention. Part of the competition for toys is because one of the assistant teachers has been taking toys and storing them in a closet so that they won't have too many toys to make a mess with and have to clean up. I was told to do what I want with this class. Teach the other two how to teach in childcare. Get a routine and structure. Get behaviors and accidents under control.

The teachers do not work together as a team to do what the class is supposed to be doing. They each do their own thing. Sometimes they are working with kids, and sometimes not. In all centers I have worked in before, the teachers worked together to do the same thing with kids at the same time. If it's circle time, they all sit with the kids for circle time. If it's art time, they all supervise and demonstrate and assist the kids at the same time. If it is time clean up toys, they all get the kids to clean up toys together, at the same time. It works. Because instead of one teacher trying to get 15 2-years-olds to pick up toys, you have three moving around the room, directing them and helping them pick up if necessary.

Their "art" is not the kids' art. Almost every piece of art is hand print or foot print. Then the teachers make the rest of the picture look like something that goes with the curriculum theme. The kids don't even get to paint their own palm or foot to make the print themselves. The assistant teachers call the kids one at a time, sit them up on the counter so what they are doing is out of reach of all the other kids, hold their hand or foot still, and brush the paint on for them. These kids don't touch paint brushes, crayons, markers, chalk... nothing.

We had a meeting with each other that the director required because it was not going well. The other two have responded with most of my concerns with defensiveness, hurt feelings, and even anger. Everything I mentioned that needed to be changed was met with these comments from the other two:

"They make a mess."
"They won't do it."
"It won't work."
"They will just run around."
"It's easier to do it this way."
"That's not how we do it."
"You can't change the schedule; it will mess up their routine." (they have no real routine)

and my face is like

The "that's not how we do it" really blows my mind because how they do it, is not working. They have even said that it doesn't work, and they don't know how to run the classroom. Here I am, telling them what does work, and they are arguing and refusing.

I told them I have experience and education to back what I'm saying. I've done this. This is how it works best. They don't believe me. They say it won't work, and it is too hard to do it that way.

What the underlying problem is is that they do not want the job to be hard or stressful.
They don't want to clean more messes than they have to. They would rather control the environment and the activities so much that they don't have to teach the children how to control themselves or make good choices. They are in effect stunting their development physically and academically.

Observe them constantly. Formulate questions with points that you can see them having.
Keep asking for their input but phrased so that eventually they give the input that is your plan. So follow your plan but work to have them invent it themselves.

 

[mina]

How is it going, Jam2b? Are things any better?

 

[JAM2b]

Hi, Thanks for the responses.

The meeting we were all supposed to have never happened because for a week we were short staffed with everyone calling in sick, and one of the assistant teachers in my class was one of them. She was out for six days. Office staff was busy filling in for absent teachers.

During this week things became brutal. Rumors spread about me that were not true. It was said that Im controlling and it's "my way or the highway." Also that I don't care about the children because I'm not doing anything with the class. They said that I don't connect with them and that I'm cold and unconcerned about well being. All of that is false.

The teachers in other rooms around me became very mean to me. They would not look me in the face, they would not talk to me unless I asked them a direct question. They would have discussions about things that effected my class because we have to work together in some situations, but they would have them without me, intentionally excluding me. I would have to ask what was said, and I would get a short edited version of it. If we had classes on the playground together they would stand together talking, and if I came near they would stop talking and move to the other end of the playground. It was very much like high school behavior.

After talking with the director and assistant director some more, different members of admin stepped into the class room and made them do some things the way it is supposed to be done, and told them they could not continue as they are. This created a big uproar.

The situation with these other teachers became worse. The assistant who was absent from my class came back and she was very argumentative and rude to me the three days we were together after she came back. The director decided to move everyone around and shake things up. She is moving lead teachers around and separating assistant teachers who are not complying and causing drama. A couple of people quit or got fired, and some new people have been hired and are starting next week.

She has placed me as a co-teacher with the next class up, in a different hallway. This group is 2 1/2-3 year-olds. The lead teacher who has already been in there is older and more mature than most of the people we work with. She had assistant teachers who were also not doing the job correctly. One of them is being moved out of the class.

Hopefully in the next week or two things will iron out, and everything will settle down. Last night when I came home from work one of my sons said, "this is the first time you came home happy in a long time."

 

[Goodbook]

Thanks for update well keep praying that the situation resolves itself I mean you have childrens lives at stake really.

In terms of 'my way or the highway' accusation, I just want to encourage you that Jesus is the way, the truth and the life, noOne gets to the Father except by Him.

If you are following HIS way, then you are not on the highway to hell. I mean Jesus was never controlling in that sense, he did give people the option. His way is the best, but many ppl couldnt see this. Pray that those who are blind, their eyes be opened.

 

[mina]

I'm so sorry it's been such a rough road, Jam2b. I have never worked at a preschool, but have been a teacher at elementary schools and a middle school. Sometimes the adults can behave like children; in front of the children, and it's never good for the students (or for the teachers that are trying their best!). As a parent (if I were in such a situation), I would be so glad for a preschool teacher that is doing the right things! Hang in there and I pray that things fall into place and that everything improves. I'm glad the directors/owners are getting involved and not placing everything on you!