Bit of advice r.e incident at work

prowla

I remember being told off for offering to let a lady through first, as she was into equality.
You just can't win sometimes!

juliescot

I would say nothing and when you next get the chance smile and open the door for her.

Let her be the one to apologise for her rude behaviour - you have no need to explain yourself.

redz

TheEffect wrote: »

but now she's just made herself look like a fool in front of the pupils.

Bennifred wrote: »

Everyone deserves courtesy, regardless of their rudeness........

fixed :beer:

Bennifred

TheEffect wrote: »

..............................As I'm only 18 and have just finished 6th form, it's already a chore trying to assure the pupils I'm staff and can give detentions and be firm with them, rather then a pupil they can mess around with.

Thanks for all the replies.

....Which is why it's important to ally yourself with the staff rather than the pupils;)

tizhimi

RedBern wrote: »

'I'm sorry I appeared so rude the other day, it wasn't deliberate. As you know boy Y has trouble speaking and I was straining to hear him, and was through the door before I noticed you. However, I don't think it appropriate for you to speak to me like that in front of pupils in future, if you have a problem with me perhaps we can deal with it in an adult manner as we are now'. Keep your chin up and be polite - be the adult here.;)

slow typing leads to cross-posting!!!

spot on, couldn't have worded it better.

terafarma

Emily1990 wrote: »

And what makes here, as a mere dinner lady, so special that she deserves people to let her through doors? The headteacher I could understand, but not a dinner lady!

A dinner lady is a human being just like yourself. She is some one's mother, aunt, sister, grandmother etc. What makes a dinner lady any different from a headteacher and your snobbish self as a fellow human being? 'A mere dinner lady'!

Arrogant and insensitive comments of this nature is not what the OP asked for. A peaceful resolution of the untoward, and possibly a one off, bad-day incidence is the way forward as both work in an environment where there are impressionable young minds who surely look upon them as role models.

I'll advise you to have a quiet word with her, that is the dinner lady, out of earshot of your pupils, may be after school to clear the air, in the expectation that whosoever was at fault will be humble enough to apologise, and forgive and forget about the whole incident ever happening.

This in my humble opinion will show you as being matured and sensible than your young age which I really commend you for.

terafarma

TheEffect

Thanks for all the replies. I'm just going to leave this be and not mention it again, unless the lady mentions anymore about it. If she does, I shall apologise and explain why I didn't let her through, but also insist she doesn't speak to me in the same manner while other pupils are around.

Working in a school, there's so many staff that I don't get on with (you can't get on with everyone), but I just do my job and ignore any confrontation with them. I'll do the same with this lady.

Thanks once again for all the replies.

juliescot

Emily1990 wrote: »

And what makes here, as a mere dinner lady, so special that she deserves people to let her through doors? The headteacher I could understand, but not a dinner lady!

I think I must have been the only person to read this as a joke.
Everyone else seems to be getting worked up about it.

I would expect anyone, whether pupil or staff, to hold the door open. In fact it was one of the things my DS was taught at school when he was in primary 2.

I think it is not worth doing anything about in all honesty. Who knows why she blew up at you, hopefully just a one off. She may not take kindly to being approached for a quiet chat. She might be fine but I think it is an unnecessary risk

TheEffect

Did I mention that this was an extra wide fire-safety door. It wasn't just a little door. It's larger then the average door but smaller then a double door. She could have turned side-ways and walked through if she liked. It was just the amount of small year 7's trying to get through that stopped her.

Savvy_Sue

I would go out of my way to be ultra polite to her in future, but perhaps also mention to your manager / mentor in your next 1:1 session that this incident happened, that it was upsetting, and how you are dealing with it in as professional a way as you know how. That may be helpful if she continues to be unprofessional - which this was, regardless of whether the OP should have showed more courtesy.