oppressed at BB childcare

[rocky]

Hello everyone,

I want to share with you all a story of oppression and bias which had happened to me at my workplacment. I will try to make it as quick as possible.

July 2012-I started working as a casual staff for a childcare center. At the beginning the director was nice and helpful to me. September- I asked them if I could come into the center and do my workplacment as well,since I felt comfortable and the staff were friendly and very multicultural. I did some days of work experience and some paid work. I worked closely with the 2IC and she was supportive with my studies, she was also the room leader in the babies room. I accepted to work any shifts they had for me, even for only 3 hours I still worked.

April 2013- I came back from my holiday back to work. I started to realizes some bias things from the director. When the 2IC asked me if I could work 2 full weeks next month in the kinder room, I said yes happily.Then the next two days the director come up and told me that the 2IC made a mistake, she was not meant to give you 2 full weeks so the director divided the 2 weeks between her mum and myself. I said okay,no worries. (as I am a mere casual staff with no contracts or formal commitments.) So.... days went by and a month went by and not heard from the center. My course will end in one month and I needed to finish off my 5 observations of the children. When I come into the babies room as a student, I found that the room leader (2IC) has moved to a different room and I have a new room leader. This New room leader gave me a lecture about "me not smiling enough for the children and how I need to act stupid with the children... and that childcare work is not for everyone.....and how this industry needs active and smiling faces and if this job is not for me then.....blah...blah.. so basically, from what I understood is that my face is always sad with the children...and she was teaching about the industry as if this my first day at childcare!!!


Before the lecture, I did an activity with the children about colour matching,I asked her if she could mark me off as she saw me doing this activity and even gave me feedback. she said to me "No, I cant mark you off, because I did not see you," I said to her you saw me and you even gave me feedback, so why cant you mark me off?? she said "I was not focused with you, I was doing the nappy". I did not want to argue with her alot...I felt bad as some staff were around us. Later I went and asked another diploma qualified if she could take on my report and sign me off because she knows my me since last year she has seen my skills and my work. she told me I cant' do that until I ask the room leader. Next day, I came and spoke to 'bully room leader' about if she has my report coz I want someone fair to assess me. she said to no that's not going to happen, and that it's up to the director, she walked me to the director and said that I'm not happy about her marking me, I said to her that's not case. The director was sitting on a chair smiling sarcastically...she did not ask for the conversation to be in done private, she ashamed me in front of other staff members who were going past the doorway. I stood at the door telling my story to the director, I tried to explain to her that I've worked for this center for nearly one year and how everyone knows me and my skills.....etc . She said: our center has been accredited and rated the top out of others centers, and now we are trying to get rid of anyone who is studying with an organizations so we can deliver quality service, we only accept students from tafes and unis. I said but I've worked here for a year and it is not fair on me, let me at least get my final visit done by my teacher....etc. She also complained that I am not smiling enough and that I can not run group time smoothly so she will not pass me until I learn to conduct group time perfectly...etc I said to her "But running group smoothly time is not request by my school?? she said that she will not sign anything for me until I learn to smile and run group time smoothly in the babies room.

I felt rumors were spreading about me and I could not work neither study under oppressive and bias environment. So I left the center and I found myself a new work placement.

[rocky]

Oppression is everywhere I guess.But I know who I am and I know how much I love children.

[Lorina]

Hi Rocky,

I'm so sorry to hear about this expereince you had... its not good not at all! I think there are some people who have had such a bad time working in childcare not because of the job itself but mainly due to the staff. It usually happens when a new staff member joins a new centre and the children and families like you better, or if your making positive changes in the room or if your developing other relationships with staff... All of a sudden the viciousness and bitchiness emerges from other staff and they attack you. The staff doing this don't come to you with the problem they get others involved and begin talking about you, being sarcastic and roll their eyes and smirk! Seriously it feels as if you're in high school all over again! I've had it happen to me as well, I think everyone has gone through this at some stage. The worst problem is when the director is FRIENDS rather than being a work colleague with staff. You try to go to them for support and they turn the matter over saying that you're the one that caused it because you haven't done this and this and this and this.... That's when the best thing you can do is leave. What's the point going to work miserable every day! Oh also if your quiet, keep to yourself, go to work do you job and don't really get involved with all the gossip then you're usually the one that gets picked on... How stupid is that!

Argh! It's very frustrating I know from my own experiences, from friends, from colleagues, from reading posts in the forum that it's quite hard to work in childcare just because of all the other emotional and mental crap you have to put up with by others! And I'm not even referring to the children or families!!

I really hope that you are being treated way better and you found a centre that you can be happy at!

Hope all is well,

,
L.A

[rocky]

Thank for reading my dear! Thank-fully I made the best decision and left. I found a good centre near my house... finished my studies....got my teacher for a last visit...my teacher was delight with my work...got my qualification and now I'm looking forward to a brighter future with children
xo


Roukaya