Teachers: what makes a good TA?

[Hopper123]

I've just been offered an apprenticeship as a TA in a primary school so I'm just wanting to ask any teachers out there what makes a good TA and what makes a terrible one in your experience?

The best advice I was given if working as a whole class TA is to be ninja like. Deal with issues before they become issues.

Poor TAs undermine the teacher when I moved into teaching (Secondary), it's when they talk loudly whilst the teacher is instructing the class. I had one who used to sit at the back of the room and spend the lesson doodling if the one child she was assisting was completing work (physical needs rather than learning need) when others in her shoes would be helping those on the table or in the rest of the room. You need to have a good understanding of SEN and subject knowledge so ask the teacher to view lesson plans ahead of time, anything you aren't sure of as you were never taught it yourself or now uses a different method becomes familiar with it before you have the lesson.

Good: someone who is professional, reliable, kind, proactive, gets on well with adults and children, understands boundaries and how to keep children safe.
Terrible: gossipy (particularly where talking about children/families is concerned), flaky (regularly late/sick), doesn’t see what needs doing and therefore doesn’t do it, doesn’t like elements of job and therefore doesn’t do them.

A good TA listens to what you ask them to do, and then does it!
So if asked to recap the addition method taught in the lesson they do exactly that rather than deciding to show the children a different way they think is better.

Spot what you can do in advance. If the teacher is talking about a resource they are going to give the class, then offer to hand them out. If resources have been left on the table then tidy them up.

Spot the children that need a bit extra support to settle to an activity and keep an eye on them.

Watch the lesson so you know exactly what the teacher needs the children to be doing in the task.

One that doesn't just sit there next to one child and moves around helping others. Actively supports the teacher in getting all students on task and learning.

I have one TA that always disappears off and another that goes on his iPad, laptop, phone all of the time.

One TA even decided to knit. That or she did the worksheet task herself instead iof helping the kids.

We have 8 TAS. I would rather not have the first 2 as they are a hindrance. We do have 2 good ones though.

I spent years in support so want to remind you that you can predominantly be a nurse/carer ie personal care, first aider, administering medication
I struggled with intimate personal care so I left as I cant pick and choose what aspects of the job ill do

You get paid minimum wage and have to cope with the threat of physical violence and verbal aggression so I think some of these criticisms towards poor tas are a bit harsh. I wouldn't do that job for minimum wage pay.
Knitting and going on an I pad are fine if they are employed to support a specific pupil and that pupil doesn't need help. They are still doing their job, unless of course there is a ban on personal phones and iPads in a classroom.

Personal ipads yes due to safeguarding.

No violence at my place. 28k wage to knit. Not sure thats fair use of childs send money.

Be proactive. Be willing to do anything asked. Do things without being asked. Don't judge the families and gossip. Treat what you see and hear as confidential.

Good TA, natural instinct towards supporting children. Sees themselves as a bridge between Teacher and student. Doesn’t contradict or interrupt teacher. Shows student how to tackle work, but doesn’t do the work for the students (the times I’ve marked work that is obviously TA’s you wouldn’t believe), Doesn’t Velcro themselves to students, but breaks down the work, sets a little target of however long to complete, works the room, goes back to student to check in.

Turns up on time, models respect for other stuff. Doesn’t gossip.

Good TAs are worth their weight in gold.
Bad TAs can undermine, disrupt classes and distract students.

I would be incredibly surprised if a TA was earning 28k.

@Hopper123 I would say be prepared to support children who are struggling, and find school difficult. You might also be expected to help with personal care. It's a lot of responsibility, especially for an apprentice wage.

Lol at the comment about someone knitting being okay. If I saw a TA start knitting because a child didn't need their help, I would be furious.

A good TA for me is:
Someone very proactive who quietly finds jobs to do. It annoys me when my TAs just sit around because there's 'nothing to do'. Excuse me, you could tidy the classroom, sharpen pencils, mark some books, etc etc. there is never nothing to do!!
Someone who does as they are told without question, and certainly doesn't go above your head to SLT because they didn't agree with something (I had this happen this year and will never forgive the TA, it's not for you to question my teaching methods unless there is an actual safeguarding incident).
Someone who is quiet, gets on and doesn't try to chat to me during lessons.
Someone with a sense of humour!

Basically, keep busy and be as helpful as possible without causing more work for the teacher.

@Whinge

TA's at my school are indeed on 28k.

@candlelightees
Is the 28K the FTE or what they get paid minus tax etc?

Following for ideas as I'm a trainee TA and hope I'm doing a good job!

I'm a t.a in a secondary and was previously at a primary.Primary schools are much more intense ime

A general classroom TA has eyes in the back of her head and can somehow scan the room even when focussing on helping a particular child. And yes, when there's nothing to do, find something to do. She doesn't talk while the teacher's talking and models good attentive listening to the pupils.

A good TA never gossips, inside or (especially) outside the school. Both class teacher and pupils have the right to confidentiality. My best TAs always had my back, but if they had concerns about what I was doing, would talk to me about it.

More than anything, they're a calm presence in the room rather than a disruptive one, and they're empathetic and patient.

I valued my TAs hugely, and they're the people I maintain contact with in retirement, more than I do my ex teaching colleagues.

I don’t know if you are going to be supporting one child or a general TA but my dd has a 1:1 TA. She has had good and bad over the years. From a parents perspective the good ones went above and beyond. So my dd struggles socially and the best TA identified pupils that might be receptive to my dd. She took small groups out to another room and led activities related to the subject they were studying but made it fun. Suddenly they all wanted to be dds friend. So if you are a 1:1 think about what that child actually needs rather than just sitting next to them (which is what most of her TAs have done).
I also noticed that one TA in particular was out the door walking home as I was picking up. Others stayed behind to help the teacher tidy the room and chat through how the day had gone, the plan for the next day etc.
Also be prepared to do prep so for example if you are supporting a child who responds to social stories be prepared to research some and print them off.
The best TA my dd had attended parent teacher meetings each term giving up her lunch break. If an issue came up she was always the one saying “I will do x”. Technically the job of the teacher but we all appreciated her going above and beyond.

It is their actual salary.

I also noticed that one TA in particular was out the door walking home as I was picking up. Others stayed behind to help the teacher tidy the room and chat through how the day had gone, the plan for the next day etc.

Don't judge her for that. Different TAs have different contracts. I generally had three TAs (special school). One would be contracted to work for 20 minutes after the children left (and to arrive half an hour before they did) and the other two would be basically doing school hours.

£28k for term time only?

@saraclara

Yes my husband was on the same salary last year but he just left to join the civil service.

@saraclara They are level 3. So not HLTA ( level 4) who are on 30 odd.

Level 1 and 2 will obviously be less.

All the TAs my dd had were on the same contract. Some just cared more. No one likes a clock watcher.

... or some had their own children to pick up from school. TAs are not paid enough to be working for free every day or to pay childminders for time that they aren't paid for. And if we ruled out parents of primary aged children, we'd have lost at least a third of our excellent TAs.

Thats massively unfair, TA might have their own child to pick up, elder care to do. I know when teaching there is trapped time etc but if TAs are paid until 15:00 then that is when they should leave. If the school wants them to help tidy and to stay until 15:30 then they should pay them for that.

30 mins extra a day is about 95 free hours a year or almost £1000 for free. With likely no option of toil etc it's a bit different when you are a teacher salaried on £35k+ compared to pretty much minimum wage.