Last day of work as a teacher aide at a school and upsetting comment from principal

[Lenny226]

Unfortunately my contract was not renewed for next year as a teacher aide at a primary school.
My confidence was already very low and I was feeling hopeless and unworthy. I felt like everyone at work thought I was not good enough.

I had my last day of work today. They had some professional development for the staff about looking after yourself and your mental health and well-being.

I got home and opened my goodbye card and noticed a comment from the principal: ‘shit happens’ with his name underneath.

I was devastated and shocked and took this very personally.

[geoff]

Hello Lenny, you must be disappointed in what the principal said, I can only say how sorry I am for you, however, you're not sure what was said to all the other staff members as well and they themselves may be being moved on or they could be retiring.

Sometimes people in authority don't have the necessary 'tack' in how to express themselves and what they say may be taken the opposite way or in a way to encourage you to further your achievements.

I don't know what was said but it depends on how your relationship was with them during the year and are you able to talk with them before the year ends to understand why they said what they said.

Another option is to apply at another school at a higher status but please don't give up and don't let one comment do this to you, throughout life not everybody agrees with what we do.

Best wishes.

Geoff.

[therising]

Hi Lenny226

Whether they were words of support, like 'Don't worry, shit happens' or whether something else was meant by it, either way it was a chance for the principal to be thoughtful. If these were the only thoughts that came to mind at the time, you gotta wonder. If you're a thoughtful person, such words would be outstanding because they lack a lot of thought. Whether the principal was busy at the time the card was presented to him and just wrote the first thing that came to mind, who knows. Personally, it can take me about 5 minutes to write a single thoughtful line on a card. For me, it generally has to be something heartfelt and positively impacting. You could say it takes time to get to the heart of a message.

Is there any message on the card that stands out, when it comes to a positive or are all the messages pretty basic? The fact that someone took the time to get the card and hand it around says something. You're worth the time and effort.

I know someone who was a teacher's aide. She mentioned that vibe about how you're kind of looked down upon, in such a position. It's like you're not a real teacher. I believe kids can learn far more from a non qualified teacher than they can from a fully qualified teacher, at times. For a start, the amount of kids out there who would be able to say 'If it wasn't for my online tutor, I would have failed that class' is plentiful. My daughter would be one who could easily say this. For a child who lost their anxiety in class due to a teacher's aide, this is life changing for them (to find a sense of peace they may never have felt before). So, for someone to say 'A teacher's aide is not as important' they would be wrong. There is great importance in a child discovering not all adults are impatient, not all adults are harsh or degrading, not all are thoughtless or uncaring. Even if you have led just one single child to look at school and life differently, you have changed the life of a person, you have influenced their course to some degree. I bet there are some kids at that school who'll remember you fondly, even in adulthood perhaps. For a child to say 'I only ever met one adult in primary school who didn't lead me to feel stupid' is of significance.

You're a life changer Lenny. For some kids who are struggling, this means the world no matter what any adult says 🙂

[Sophia16]

Hi,

Welcome to the BB forums and thank you for being so open here. I am so sorry for what the principal said. I know it is hard to say, but don't take it too personally. His intentions may have been good.

Please don't let it get to you. I'm sure you'll be amazing at the next school you work at.

Stay safe and I am here to chat if you need me.

[quirkywords]

Lenny

welcome to the forum and I am sorry you have been treated poorly.

I was a teachers aide for many years and then studied to be a teacher,

Some teachers never spoke to me or knew my name till I became a teacher a casual teacher. I was treated by some just above an aide.

I am sorry you have treated unprofessionally by the principal.

At my school there was one permanent aide and the rest were casual. Maybe there was no work for you and you were seen as a good worker,

Was it explained to you why your work was terminated.

[tranzcrybe]

Have you heard the expression "A fish rots from the head down" - your principal being the 'head'...
It sounds like you have not received the support necessary from any staff members, so I think morale must be low throughout the school.
Don't take it as a personal reflection on you and move forward to a more caring environment without trepidation.