I feel like I’m playing lead too often
I work in a class with 1 year olds (12m-19m) as an assistant teacher. In the past my coworker was constantly sick so she had to call off a lot. Due to that they originally assigned me to this class as a consistent face for the kids and families. However, she’s doing much better now, but almost every Monday and Friday—when we only have just 4 kids in our class—instead of keeping the lead in the ones class they send her to do assisting in other classes (or in rare cases lunches). Now I don’t mind taking over for the lead when necessary like they’re just not in, but im starting to become irritated having to do it twice a week when she’s still in the building. I get it if they send her to an older class (I don’t have much experience with them), but they do it with all classes. I don’t get it. it’s frustrating because i already don’t get paid a lot and now it feels like I’m taking on extra work im playing a lead role but no lead pay. I also feel this way because I’m an activities type teacher and my lead is a free play all day kind of teacher (but I can’t do that because I find that it leaves the kids more time to get antsy and seemingly rowdier). Plus in my mind I’m like we technically do have a schedule so why wouldn’t i follow it?