Ding along
I am a single parent so my child doesn't have that oh so important 'male role model'
He also has a male TA and as I said earlier there was much gushing about how WONDERFUL this would be because he is a MAN and he would such a WONDERFUL male role model that he doesn't have at home
Male TA is disorganised, forgetful and so laid back he's almost horizontal. My son is also all of those things and support to change this is one of the aims of his statement. He needs structure and direction.
Male TA is ineffective but he is ineffective NOT BECAUSE HE IS A MAN but because it's his first job as a TA and my son was the first SEN TA role he has done. He has said to me that it's been a huge learning curve so he's obviously self aware and actually I think he shows great promise and just needs more experience and focus. I like him a lot but he is being moved in September to a role he is more suited for at this present time.
I suspect that, given how much was said to my face when he started with my son that far too much emphasis was given to his TA being male and this on it's own being a benefit greater than a women when really it's negligible...
Now his head teacher is a woman and my son completely looks up to her, sees her as the person to please and is in effect his role model... Even though he has a perfectly good female role model at home.
Gender is completely irrelevant - all about the person and their expertise (not even necessarily experience) in a school. Any suggestion of otherwise is sexist and does the staff, male and female a disservice.
And the child abuse issue up-thread is NONSENSE - never even crossed my mind when my sons TA was appointed - why would it he's at equal risk with a woman and the school have excellent safeguarding procedures anyway.