Do teachers actualy know anything about childminders?

**Mrs.L.C** · 14-07-2008, 05:22 PM

Im writing this really to get this of my chest and wondering if anyone else has had this problem.

I got back from the school this afternoon after collecting 5 after schoolers fuming and rather upset after being told by 3 teachers how to do my job.

I use my knowledge of playwork with my after schoolers and let them risk assess their own play but watching and listening to them to ensure they are safe and not harming anyone else. They were playing in the school grounds whilst in my care (which a few parents and childminders do) and one child was giving the other a backy on his bike (1 is 9 the other 7) and he fell off hurting his ankle. 2 teachers came out and stood over him and started telling one of the other children to get Mrs (what ever her name was) whos a first aider...i told them I was but they ignored me and then as I sat with the child comforting him and checking his ankle, which was fine and he stopped crying almost straight away, the teachers started telling the boys off say " you shouldnt be giving him a backy, its not in the rules, you know the rules and you shouldnt be riding the bike in the school grounds" at this point about 5 teachers/office staff were standing over us not listening to me at all

Ok fair play they shouldnt be riding around in the school grounds...(there was hardly anyone there) so I spoke to the boys about that and told them to put the bike by the bags and they ran off to play, boys ankle fine.

Then 15 mins later as we were leaving the 2 year starts throwing a tantrum and wouldnt walk so I was sorting him out whilst the older children waited by the school gate and another teacher came and told me I should be keeping a better eye on them and not let them run out of the gate or play with the gate...I could see them and they were not running off as they know my rules and 1 of them was closing the gate. I spoke to them about leaving the gate open but also thanked them for waiting by the gate for me

2 hours later and im still wound up about it The chidlren have all gone and I have informed the parents of the children involved what happened and they said why did the teachers tell them they couldnt give each other backys?

**mrsb** · 14-07-2008, 05:26 PM

oohh poor you, I hate teachers sometimes, they seem to think they are higher beings don't they

as for the backy, I can see why they do it to be honest even though it was not their place to speak to the children or you etc. My children's school are not insured for accidents involving bikes after school hours so no one is allowed to ride them, just walk them. I guess they are just covering their backs.

I'd be fuming if anyone ever told me how to look after the children in my care too though

**ajs** · 14-07-2008, 05:31 PM

no offence to any of us who are teachers
but sometimnes they can be so far up their own arses they can't see the whole story.

if anyone tries to tell me how to do my job if i know i am doing it well then i just smile sweetly and go away.
i try very hard not to reply to any comments anyone makes

**Mrs.L.C** · 14-07-2008, 05:35 PM

Thats what I did in the end...walked away but when i got home my development worker was waiting for me so I told her what had happened and she thinks I need to speak to them as its not the first time they have told the children off whilst they were in my care....

what do you think?

**Trouble** · 14-07-2008, 05:36 PM

i dont think they know what their doing

they look down on childminders but they see how good we are when the kids go into their nurserys and say we do this with our childminder, and then they make comments

just ignore them, after all we look after thier children, so we cant be that bad

**Heaven Scent** · 14-07-2008, 05:46 PM

I've been OK with all the teachers so far its the People who run the Playgroup at the school nearest to me - I deal with playgroups at the moment - they are all oder women - even older than me and that is saying something!!!!

- These are real old fossels and they have run the playgroup with a rod of iron for years and years. They don't send home written information and as I drop and collect at 4 different educational establishments I sometimes forget the finer details - You should hear them when I ask them to re-confirm the time of something or the proce of something. Last week I called to say that I would be running late dropping off R on Wednesday afternoon as I had to take DS to hospital to have arm x-rayed suspected fracture - they said fine and on Wed we were a tiny bit late - no so much because of the hospital apt but because LO takes ages to eat her lunch. Anyway we left in a huge rush with her bag of spare clothes and little brother but Dad hadn't hung her coat up that morning so I presumed she didn't have one and left anyway it wasn't a bad day and she'd been out all morning without one.

When I went to collect her the awl bag who releases the children 1 at a time shouted at me in front of all the other parents that I need to make sure that R always has her coat with her - as they had to lend her one when they went to do the re-cycling - then she blurted out thats what EYFS is all about being prepared to be able to go outdoors at all times. I said nothing and just grabbed R and ran to my next school before I had to go to my last school followed by another playgroup where they are lovely.

**sarah707** · 14-07-2008, 06:50 PM

I wonder if it's time for you to sit down and have a chat with the school's head?

Talk about your knowledge and experience and how you would like to be treated with some respect

**Mrs.L.C** · 14-07-2008, 06:52 PM

The cheek. I think teachers and nursery staff need to go on a course that tells them all about childminders lol

**Mrs.L.C** · 14-07-2008, 06:58 PM

Originally Posted by sarahnev707

I wonder if it's time for you to sit down and have a chat with the school's head?

Talk about your knowledge and experience and how you would like to be treated with some respect

Im thinking of going in to speak to them in the morning. Few months back a parent had contacted a friend of mine asking for occasional childcare. She was lucky the parent called as the school had told this mum that childminders wouldn't do occasional care when most of us round here would if we had space

**charleyfarley** · 14-07-2008, 07:18 PM

I've not had any run ins with the teachers yet but pre school well that's a different matter.

I just think some of them think they are so much better than us childminders. I also think it's because we know all the rules and regs so they can't get away with things with us.

Back to the teachers it was probably due to the children still being on school grounds though and nothing to do with you being a childminder . I wouldn't be too happy either though. As Sarah said have a word with the head and explain things

Carol xx

**wendywu** · 14-07-2008, 08:58 PM

I must be lucky as all teachers i deal with are lovely and we all treat each other with respect. But once a child is in your care i would not let a teacher tell that child off or tell me how to do my job.

**Mrs.L.C** · 15-07-2008, 04:39 PM

Just a quick update.

I spoke to the school today and sorted things out making them aware what a childminder is and what qualifications most of us have etc. Few crossed wires last night and the last teacher who told me I should be watching the kids more apologised as she was unaware of what had happened before then.

I said id make sure the kids didnt ride their bikes on school grounds and she is going to make sure other teachers know more about childminders and that it is our responsibility to the child after the school finishes and not the teachers but we will work together.

Feeling alot better in my self now

**Tatia** · 15-07-2008, 06:03 PM

Good for you! What a result.

I've got great, mututally respectful relationships with teachers of my mindees but I've been scolded by the head a few times for silly infractions, like kids climbling on railing (which I was JUST in the process of doing when she caught them at it

). She's equally tough though and tells parents off, too!

I now threaten mindees with her when they start to misbehave on school grounds!

**cloud9** · 15-07-2008, 06:48 PM

Originally Posted by topchick_dav

Thats what I did in the end...walked away but when i got home my development worker was waiting for me so I told her what had happened and she thinks I need to speak to them as its not the first time they have told the children off whilst they were in my care....

what do you think?

I may be mis understanding it but were you on the school grounds? in which case if you were the teachers were right to intervene its there job, just like you were doing yours.Its my understanding that if you are still on school grounds they can reprimand the children regardless of whether its a childminder or parent caring for the children

**Twinkles** · 15-07-2008, 07:01 PM

In the whole ' teaches don't know much about us childminders' theme. I went to a meeting at nursery the other evening as one of my minded lo's is starting there in Sept. I had to find out about the meeting myself and invite myself to it !
While I was there I spoke to the headteacher and asked her about her Information Sharing policy . She admitted they didn't have one and had never been asked that question before !
When I replied ' well I know I will have to have one ' she half laughed and said incredulously ' you have to have policies ? '.
Needless to say I put her straight and asked for a copy of the nursery curriculum and planning for Autumn term

**Tatia** · 15-07-2008, 07:44 PM

Go Twinkles, go Twinkles, get busy!

**Mrs.L.C** · 16-07-2008, 07:26 AM

Originally Posted by c.l.matt

I may be mis understanding it but were you on the school grounds? in which case if you were the teachers were right to intervene its there job, just like you were doing yours.Its my understanding that if you are still on school grounds they can reprimand the children regardless of whether its a childminder or parent caring for the children

After speaking with the school yesterday I now know this as we were on the school grounds but if was the mannor in which they spoke to me and ignored the fact I was there was the main thing that go to me. They are usualy really good teachers and iv never had a problem with them before. I just dont think they are aware of what we do but I have told them now

and we have a better understanding

**foxy lady** · 16-07-2008, 09:14 AM

im glad you have sorted this out
maybe in future you will get a little more respect

**Mollymop** · 16-07-2008, 09:33 AM

Sorry I have just caught up with this

Teachers can be a pain sometimes, can't they, but as it was on the school grounds, i guess they would have taken over for insurance purposes.

At my son's school, children are not allowed to ride across the playground and 2 toddlers got hurt a few weeks back as a result of a boy going against the rules.

We often have teachers in the playground at hometime, as a lot of the older children walk home on their own and I suppose they are there to check for bullies and fights as the kids come out.

The teachers do approach parents and ask them to keep their children from scooting or riding around the playground. We had a letter a few weeks ago after the incident with the 2 toddlers and was warned the school could get in trouble if an accident occurred on their grounds and if any children were caught riding their bikes on the playground they would be suspended from bringing their bikes for the term.

So, even though I am not sticking up for the teachers, I suppose they think it is their job to make sure everyone is safe.

Even though they are a pain sometimes.

**Jinx** · 16-07-2008, 10:38 AM

Originally Posted by Twinkles

In the whole ' teaches don't know much about us childminders' theme. I went to a meeting at nursery the other evening as one of my minded lo's is starting there in Sept. I had to find out about the meeting myself and invite myself to it !
While I was there I spoke to the headteacher and asked her about her Information Sharing policy . She admitted they didn't have one and had never been asked that question before !
When I replied ' well I know I will have to have one ' she half laughed and said incredulously ' you have to have policies ? '.
Needless to say I put her straight and asked for a copy of the nursery curriculum and planning for Autumn term

Similar thing happened to me yesterday. I was chatting to my daughters teacher who has always been a bit above the rest of us mere mortals. I mentioned EYFS and how the paperwork side of childminding is getting ridiculous. She said she had no idea we had to follow EYFS too, so I put her straight on a few things!!! Hopefully she now has a newfound respect for us minders.

Jinx x