Going from teacher to TA

[creativeusername]

I've recently gone back to full time teaching after a few years on a 0.4 contract. I like working in a school but the full time hours are mad and I'm feeling the pressure of delivering lessons everyday, all of the sen forms and meeting dates, parent's evenings, assessment etc

It's really getting me down. I am considering giving up teaching and being a TA for a while. Has anyone done this? Are TA jobs harder to come by and are there any other qualifications that I will need?

It may be a grass being greener situation, but i think TAs get the nice bits of working in a school, without being in class from 7:30am till 5pm.
And I can't think of any other job that will give me the school holidays off to look after my children!

[user1483390742]

I have! After 15 years of teaching, I am now in my first year as a HLTA. There are lots of benefits, especially with my family. I work 8.30-3.30 then go home!
The obvious downside is the pay- I am now earning half my teaching wage; it would hsve been even less if I was a TA rather than a HLTA.
BUT I sleep well, have time for my family, go out (cinema, pub, meal) mid-week and generally live like a normal person!
If you can afford to, I really would recommend it!

[creativeusername]

user that is what I wanted to hear! We can't do anything mid week. Friday nights, I fall asleep on the sofa by 9 so all our social bits have to be on the weekend.
I literally dream about my class and the jobs I need to do most nights. There is no escape!
I'm off today with a tummy bug and felt sheer relief knowing that I didn't have to go into work

[cauliflowersqueeze]

One of my best friends did this and doesn’t regret it for a second.
And one of our science technicians at work did this too.

[BackforGood]

I don't understand why you wouldn't do PT ? You even had an actual 0.4 job. Why would you give that up to work 5 days for the same money ??

[creativeusername]

backforgood I don't like the stress and the pressure. You still have the parents evenings, observations, meetings, assessment data, reports, marking and responsibilty on a part time contract.
And the 2 days I did work were long because you have to get everything finished by the end of day, so the class is set up for the other teacher the next day. There was no "I'll just do it in the morning" as you weren't in school the next morning.
I think I'd rather work 5 shorter days where I could drop my kids to school and pick them up at a decent time each day.

[Yumyumbananas]

Backforgood are you a teacher? OP I am guessing you are in primary? A PT teacher isn’t much different to a FT one really in terms of pressure etc. I was 0.8 and it made zero difference to my life other than that I got paid less and worked for a day at home unpaid instead of at school being paid. 5 days as a TA is a much better deal in terms of workload and stress levels.

[BackforGood]

Yup. I wouldn't work 0.8 - that is what happens, as you have described, but I worked 0.6 for the last 20 years.
I'd FAR rather do 24hours work (and 2 x commute and getting ready for work) for 2 days pay than 30 hours work + 5 commutes for the same money.
Generally speaking though, unless your dc are at your school, you'd still have to make arrangements for before and after school care.

Each to their own though.

[Holidayshopping]

I wouldn’t work as a TA. I know a number of teachers who have tried it but all have left and gone back to part time teaching. The money is so crap-it’s probably less than what you’re on now as a 0.4.

[foxsbiscuit]

my colleague did this she is a HLTA. Pay is poor but she loves it. She is able to live on her pay at the moment but if she ever finds.it difficult she will do supply rather than a ft teaching post. She is so happy now though and leaves school at 3:30 without any stress.

[thebookeatinggirl]

I did it for a while, and absolutely loved it. But family finances forced me back into class teaching. If I could afford it, and take the hit long term on my pension, I'd do it in a heart beat.

I was an HLTA. Did lots of interventions, some PPA whole class teaching and some class support. The whole class stuff, and class support, had planning done by the teacher, that I just followed, or adapted as I saw fit, with minimal marking. For the interventions I was given PPA time (which I think is fairly unusual). I loved it. All the good bits without the slog. No stress, no data, no reports, no IEPs, no observations, no parent meetings. Worked 8.30-3.30 with very occasional work at home (usually under my own initiative), and even managed to pop home at lunchtime sometimes. And I was paid at the top of the HLTA scale, so not far below to an NQT. The school got a teacher with 20+ years experience, so everyone happy.

I think it does depend on the school, and what your role is, and if you're happy to loose some control ( I had a fair amount of autonomy with what I did, but in some schools you'll have none, which can be hard if you're used to being the one in charge!).