Originally Posted by luv2teach:
I am not sure if this is a rational vent or not. Perhaps you all can offer feedback.
I have been working with my assistant teacher for a long time now. We are good friends and get along well. Other day I get a surprise call from the director. They have an employee who isn't getting along with the teacher they are under. This person needs a strong lead teacher and older children to work with. Can they send her to me? Okay, fine, what can I say, no? However the new girl has been sick for two days so not there for me to work with. Today is in service day, a day where we do some training and clean our rooms in a way that isn't possible when the children are around. Since my new person is sick they tell my regular assistant to report to my room to help me today.
She told me yesterday about what she planned to do, move rugs, sweep, mop and clean the chairs. Okay, great, so I get everything out to bleach the toys. I would rather do the cleaning she mentioned over bleaching toys, but that isn't the point.
Basically she showed up for 20 minutes out of the 2 hour cleaning time today and said that she didn't feel she had to participate because they took her out of my room and it isn't her fault the new girl is sick.
I am majorally irritated because she did not get anything done and I could have done the floors instead of the toys had I known she wasn't coming. So I ended up working extra today to get everything done.
Now I am cranky. 
Honestly it sounds like your "friend" is behaving in an immature fashion and needs to get over herself. When you work for someone else (sounds as if you are in a center?) you do as you are told. In this case, you were "asked" (told) that you would have a new assistant. You could have said no, but it probably would have happened anyway and it would have been a mark against you that you said no... A "good" friend should understand that. When she made her announcement about not working a "Sue, I understand you are upset, I am too, but you are putting me in a bind and that isn't fair to me. I need you to do x,y, and z as discussed. If you are upset, you need to speak to ________."
Now, if she was only there for 20 minutes, did she reflect that on her time sheet? I hope that doesn't come back to bite *you*
As for your new assistant that seems to be "sick" I think it's time for a frank discussion with your supervisor. "Jane, Sally has called off x amount of times in the last week/month. I need a reliable assistant and the kids really need stability. I certainly don't mind helping a new employee find their stride, but she's not even here enough for me to do that."
Good Luck!