To think TAs don't really aid students' learning

[Bridgeovertheriver]

And as such, why is so much spent on them? (Assisting students with a physical disability excepted obviously.)

'As for managing a class of 30 4-5 year olds on your own: what do you think we used to do in the 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s?

How many children were in those classes needing extra support?'

Usually 4 or 5 IME in the 80s and 90s.

Most of the TAs I've worked with over the years have been very good, or exceptional. But then I've always been very selective about the schools I've been a class teacher in, and how they see the children.

Effectively deployed TA's, where their area of expertise and training is taken into consideration, can make a significant difference to a child's academic and social/emotional progress. Poorly deployed TA's can hinder a child.

Equally, just because a teacher is 'trained', it does not necessarily mean that they are good at their job (or all elements of their job) or able to reach out and meet the needs of ALL children in their class. As with all professions - you get good ones and bad ones! Some teachers deliver fun, exciting and creative lessons (yet are disorganised, flighty and impulsive). Others deliver old school (classical conditioning) lessons, but are well organised, consistent and reliable. Some teachers have a fantastic grasp of BESD and a great empathy with children, others have exceptional subject knowledge but fall to pieces when faced with a BESD child.
On a similar note, I can think of a teacher within my setting who have been teaching for a very long time. When they began their teaching career Autism was virtually unheard of. During their long career (they are close to retirement) they have not received CPD regarding Autism (or if they have, they've remained very closed minded about it). Therefore, when faced with Autistic children their approach, manner and lack of understanding leads to them having a detrimental impact on that child. Through the TA being there, the TA engages the child, differentiates the learning and helps them remain in class (and mainstream education). On the other-hand, that teacher is loved by the majority of his class, he effectively facilitates their learning and their progress reflects that.

Over my time as a TA I have undertaken numerous CPD courses. Subsequently, in some areas I have become the 'more knowledgeable other' compared to the teacher. As an example, I worked with a year 6 teacher, and we had a number of children (five or six) who had significant gaps in their knowledge with regards to phonics. The teacher had little experience or interest in teaching phonics. Yet, during my time at the school I had taken part in numerous phonics training sessions. In this respect, it does not make sense for the teacher to deliver the learning for these children, when I was the more knowledgeable other. In this case, I would offer a short phonics intervention, a few mornings a week, where the long term planning was overseen by a specialist phonics teacher and the short term planning was created by me. The programme was structured and I was trained to deliver it.

However, put me in a situation where I had to deliver history or PE then I would be out of my comfort zone and it would not be benefiting the children. I am very aware of my limitations and professionally I am not afraid to admit them.

I have been a TA for eleven years + now.
I have a good degree, but chose to be TA rather than a teacher because I have several children, one with disabilities and the job fitted with my life.

I work in a special school and as a result have what I would assume are fairly specialised skills.. I have qualifications in British Sign Language (as I work with deaf children sometimes) PECS training, Speech and Physiotherapy training. I have to set up and manage enteral feeding (tube feeds) mix and administer medications that usually a nurse would do (trained by our nurse) , manage oxygen dependent children and decide , on a daily basis, whether a particular child's seizures can be managed in school or need blue lighting to hospital. Oh and of course work with children who display highly challenging behviour, while working on their academic progress. And because I do this, my class teacher can actually TEACH the children while I manage the background issues.

I think I am valued ... I know for a fact that for a few children I have made a HUGE difference to their behaviour and consequently improved their families lives... which frankly is more important that academics for many of them. Hopefully I have helped them academically too!

BUT.. I have also worked with many TA's who frankly are not up to the job. Whose own standard of literacy is so poor it makes me wince. I would not want them teaching my own kids.

There are great TAs and poor ones. Recruitment needs to be better... BUT until they are valued and paid appropriately it isn't going to happen. I'm paid around 12k for what I do (as it's pro rata.. 30 hours), and it's a joke. Mainstream TA's are even more poorly paid.

I'm leaving in 4 weeks.. for a new job.. using the same skills, and using my brain a little more.. which will pay more for 3 days a week than 5 days as a TA.

TAs are essential in modern day education.. there is no point in comparing education now to the 70s and 80s as teachers spend half their lives doing paperwork. But the system needs to change to recruit capable people and pay them appropriately. I'm not the only one in my (very good) school, who is leaving at the end of term, for better paid jobs!

Pastaeater of course I know why TAs are doing the small group teaching - as you say, that much is obvious. I was saying what should happen. That is, teaching of children in need of additional support should be done by teachers not TAs. It is failing those children to take them away from teachers and expect them to be taught be TAs.

But the small groups are not taken away from teachers- they are just getting extra support. My son got as much teacher time as anyone else. He was just given extra help with the TA- invaluable.
Medusa is right that the pay is dreadful. They should also never be used for whole class teaching.

What kisto says about being the 'more knowledgeable other' through CPD and experience is interesting. We encourage a lot of our TAs to develop in this way and it's really useful. For instance we had a TA in our school who had had a lot of experience and training working with kids with more challenging behaviour. When DS kicked off in Y2, he had an outstanding class teacher who was nevertheless fairly new to teaching and hadn't met anything quite like DS before nor had we

This TA came in and worked 1:1 with him and absolutely turned things around.

However, I am absolutely convinced that we pay far too little for that sort of experience and expertise. At our school a lot of the TAs are mums or ex-mums and we gain a huge advantage from having a stupidly over qualified parent body who want family friendly hours.

Better pay more, expect more, and have a smaller number of actual bodies on the ground, I wonder?

Would also like to add... In the "olden days" ( not too far away from living memory) children who were a bit "slow" we're put into a "remedial" class ie gardening, crafts etc... Thank goodness that there's an extra person in a child's class who can help to deliver precision teaching to help to keep them up to speed ... It's also important to note that it's very rare to find a child at either end of the academic spectrum who can cope with everything that the national curriculum can throw at them... Have dealt with many a clever-clog who has coasted but when challenged academically has had a melt-down.. Usually the TA has to deal with this.
On a very separate note... Children in a primary setting ( and more usually in an infant setting) become suddenly ill! If there is only the class teacher then who will deal with this? Again, in "the olden days" the child would eg vomit.. Class teacher would throw sawdust down.. And carry on teaching... Was very rare that the school would even notify parent until the end of the day!!! Oh I could go on and on as to why TAs are SOOO needed in a primary setting!!! ( sorry!)