To think that five year olds should not be used as TAs

[ReallyTired]

When children work quickly the teacher gets her to help the other children. One of the children that dd has been helping had a statement for a full time one to one. There are two TAs in the classroom so there should be enough adults to help the class. Even a very able five year old has insufficient numeracy and literacy skills to make an effective TA. They might teach the concept incorrectly. Dd's spelling is still very phonics based.

I feel the teacher should have extention work for children who finish early. Children who need additional help should have the right to help from someone who has completed their education and is over 18!

As someone who now works as a TA I can tell you now that your child is not being used as a TA in the slightest. That is not what my job entails!

However, your child should be being given work that challenges them at the right level and they don't just rattle through quickly.

If planned for and discussed beforehand child based peer coaching and peer assessment can be a very useful tool for children of all abilities and all ages. But not just a 'oh, You've finished, go give x a hand'. But then that isn't peer coaching though.

I feel you are right to expect your child to be given work which challenges them and occupies their learning time BUT I really do object to the idea that your child is being used as a TA - she isn't.

Speak to her teacher if you feel she isn't being given work at the correct level but please don't go in with the 'she's being used as a TA' argument - it really won't help you.

but I don't see how it helps her maths.

It will be helping develop her mathematical understanding. It is much easier to 'do' maths than to explain it. She will be increasing her ability to discuss mathematical ideas which will help her as she is given more challenging work.

I don't think it's an issue at 5 but my 10 year old is often asked to help less able students and doesn't always want to. She also gets paired with the least able students on projects etc and she feels this pulls her mark down. They also sit her next to the " naughty" boys as she has a calming effect apparently.
She is actually a lovely kind child who is mostly happy to help others but she does get fed up sometimes , especially when her supposed " calming effect" doesn't work and she gets stabbed in the leg with a compass!!!
I would rather she got extra work but I appreciate it's not always possible and I don't think she is being used as a TA in any sense.

Ds2 does this. It helps the other child with his maths and it teaches ds2 to break down the problem into little steps and explain it clearly. This helps his maths too.

Similar situation with listening partners. Ds2 often knows the 'right' answer but is a crap listener. His partner is maybe less often correct but has lots of ideas and plenty to say. He demands she explain things logically, she demand he shuts up for 2 minute and listens to someone else's views for a change.

There is a temptation in these situations to assume the more academic of the children is the one doing all the giving but that's rarely the case.

There is a learning theory - I did a psy degree a million years ago, so forgive me for being rusty - that a good way for kids to learn is for them to explain things to other children. Its the same for adults - to see if you really have remembered something correctly, try explaining it so someone else.

How do you know that she is being used a TA? Did your five year old say that or did she say she helped another child and you added your own twist to it? You come across as rude tbh. If you don't think your child is being stretched, make an appointment and discuss it rather than making snarky statements that undervalue the hard work that TAs do.

It's a concept that's been used in training situations for many years. See one - Do one - Teach one. Peer help and peer marking is a very valuable tool, even for little children.

Is this where we get all the stealth boasts about everybodys exceptionally bright children having to help those less able ? I see its happening already!

I will give you an example - this happened in my son's class, in year 3. The class had to learn a difficult poem by heart (Jabberwocky) which is a nonsense poem by Lewis Carroll. In his class there's a little boy whose parents don't speak English much, and the boy struggles with behaviour and learning. A little girl in DS' class took it upon her to help the boy, she coached him until he learned the poem - helping the teacher at the same time, obviously. The little girl received a merit certificate (together with the little boy) and a special letter was sent to her home to mark the fact that she was being very helpful. Her parents were obviously very proud, and would have never ever thought or said 'I don't want my precious DD to be a TA'. So in short, you are being very, very unreasonable.

YANBU. I have a similar experience as RunAway. If you DD needs to consolidate knowledge - yes, explaining to someone else is helpful. But if she can already do it with ease, she should be getting extension work.

Agree with pp's - there is a HUGE difference between helping a peer & being a TA. You would NBU to ask the teacher how your dd helping other children is beneficial for your dd & how else she plans to stretch your dd. You would BU to storm in talking about your dd being used as a TA

" Even a very able five year old has insufficient numeracy and literacy skills to make an effective TA"

Just noticed this line in the OP. Really made me . And I'm sure any TA reading it woild find it incredibly reassuring!

Your child is not being used as a TA, but is helping another child. It may be your child is able to explain in a way the child understands.

My eldest dd has a boy in her year group who can be and has always been a bit disruptive. He is the complete opposite to her but for some reason he is always better behaved, concentrates better if he is seated with my DD.

Her teacher has said this year that she does not understand the relationship between them, as dd1 can tell him to do whatever required and he does it with no problems where as if anyone else told him to do XYZ he would kick off. I have always taken the view as long as it not hindering DD1 and it's not, then I don't have an issue with it.

And by DD1 'helping' him he is learning better, his levels have come up to where they should be.