I work as a paraprofessional, so with special needs children, in a school. Everyone starts off as a “substitute” until you’re offered to become a permanent employee but I do work full-time. The school I work at is mainly for special needs children. Today I was assigned a child in pre-K with behavioral issues. The little boy was tearing up other students work, throwing all the buckets of toys on the floor, taking things from other students just to break them, screaming and hitting, etc. Once I’m cleaning up one mess he’s on his way to make another. As you can see, this is why he needs a Paraprofessional.

When this happens, which is every day, I take him out in the hallway to walk around (this is what we’re told to do). Since the gym was empty and on the same floor as his classroom, I decided to let him take some energy out in the gym. As usual, he got upset when it was time to leave so he threw himself on the floor and took off his shoe. I kept trying to get him to stand up and he wouldn’t. I tried to bribe him, persuade him, be strict, etc. If all else fails, we just pick the child up and take them to class. We all do this. So while I’m picking him up to take him to class my coworker intervenes. Every time I am out giving this child a walk this same coworker steps in when she’s not needed. She calls for back up on her walkie-talkie, like who calls for back up on a four year old? While the child is with her, and the backup she called for because she decided to take over, he managed to take off his other shoe and both socks.. and was still on the floor. We finally get him back to the classroom (she carried him) I put on his socks and shoes, I read him a book, and then in walks in the back up again who happens to be bringing him a snack. She said that he earned it, how did he possibly earn a snack? And she said that she gave a good report to his mother, why is she lying to his mother?

Anyway, I’m just worried that every time she calls for back up or involves herself in a situation where she’s NOT needed, it makes me look like I can’t do my job. It makes me look incompetent. I wish that I could just tell her to back off but I’m really not a confrontational person unless I HAVE to be. I just want her to leave me alone and let me do my job. She doesn’t even have the same position as me, she sits at her desk and prints paper all day and makes the bulletin boards look pretty. She steps in without asking if I need help and does the same thing I’m doing as if it’s going to have a different outcome because it’s from her when the kid doesn’t even know her. I’m honestly just angry, I feel like she’s stepping on my toes and I hope this isn’t ruining my chances of becoming a permanent employee. My other coworkers say that I’m good at my job, they have my back, and that they will speak up for me. This is the only job I’ve ever truly loved and I don’t want to lose it.