To be surprised that so many people look down on being a TA?

[mummypie17]

I recently read a thread on Mumsnet about a lady who was embarrassed about being a TA (Teaching Assistant). This generated many responses. Some were quite negative towards TAs. I was a TA several years ago after I finished university and I absolutely loved my job. It gave me the experience I needed for my current role and was really rewarding. Granted that my job now pays more than twice as much, what I gained being a TA was invaluable.

One of my friends (who is a SAHM) was talking to me about trying to find a job to fit around her children's school hours. I suggested being a TA at her local school and she replied 'I'm looking for something more professional than that' obviously forgetting that I used to be one a long time ago.

AIBU to be surprised that TAs are unjustly viewed as a low skill job?

There needs to be formal, quantifiable evidence that TAs, add value to education

And the DISS report found that TAs had a negative impact on the progress of children!

We have some superb TAs at my school, but none of them have A levels, degrees of any other qualifications-they generally started as mum helpers and stayed.

suggested being a TA at her local school and she replied 'I'm looking for something more professional than that'

I suppose she’s right that being a TA isn’t a profession. What else did she have in mind?

Sadly the low pay means its not really a job to aspire to. That isn't the same as saying it is worthless or easy.

I have great respect for TAs but the reality is that most people need to earn more than a TA is paid if they have a mortgage to pay etc

I was a Senco and in my team of 12 5 had masters and went on to train to be teachers. Those who had the drive and ability used it as a spring board to a career. I really tried to build relationships between the TAs and teachers and elevate their status.

I am a teacher who became a TA after having my children. I am now both a teacher and a TA in my school so I can see it from both perspectives. I love being a TA because it means I can interact with the children without worrying about all the paperwork and other things that go with teaching. I have been with my current class for three years so know all of them very well. It's wonderful to walk into the class and have them all come up to me to tell me about what they've been doing etc.
When I teach, TAs are an invaluable support for those children that struggle and I firmly believe that some children wouldn't progress as much as they do without their TA.
It might be a low paid job but it's certainly not a low skilled job. I know a number of TAs who are highly knowledgeable and some who know more than some teachers! They are always trying to better themselves and to do better for the children they support.
TAs are amazing!

It is only worth elevating TA status, if there is measurable evidence that this kind of support adds value. The kind of hearsay, or anecdotes that describe someone who is a lovely person, do not necessarily make for quantifiable evidence about adding educational value in the classroom.
I have seen well meaning TAs talk over teachers or wrongly explain key skills and they, unintentionally, hinder learning.
We should not be throwing money at support staff without real evidence that this kind of support is effective.

TAs are being made redundant at my school (and some others lovely) due to funding cuts. We will only have them for the hours of children with an EHC plan and this will largely be delivered via interventions rather than just having a ‘Velcro’ adult as they are often referred to.

Budgets are worse than I’ve even known them and we will just have one teacher per class, no TA, a teaching deputy/SENCo and a non-teaching head (who still covers PPA). It’s been cut to the bone.

@Keewee27 wrote,
TAs are an invaluable support for those children that struggle and I firmly believe that some children wouldn't progress as much as they do without their TA.
This is just opinion though and not measurable evidence. I am sure TAs may add to a feel good factor in a classroom but there may well be more effective use of money, particularly in a secondary school classroom, however lovely individuals are.

I don’t think anyone on the thread was looking down on TAs. I got pelters for saying that it does not require any particular qualifications and could be done by a competent school leaver (which is could- it’s an entry level job). This was in response to all the posts claiming all the TAs at their school were teachers or even had phds!

Honestly not a single poster said anything negative about TAs that wasn’t entirely true. No one said it’s not an important job (it is).

When I said the fact that so many women are leaving other careers because being a TA is all they can find that is family friendly is an issue, one woman wrote a whole post in capitals about how it was her choice to be a TA. As if it somehow personally offended her the idea that other careers should be able to be done by women with children.

It was a strange old thread right enough, but no one was negative about TAs.

And as for op, it’s really fair enough for women to want to carry on their professional careers. Not everyone should or wants to be a TA.

To answer the question regarding what my friend had in mind, she wanted to be an admin assistant which in terms of skill, I think is similar to a TA. However, I guess the pay wouldn't be pro rata so maybe she'd earn more...?

SleepingStandingUp does say DS's TA rather than the class TA so presumably the TA assigned to support an individual child rather than the other children in the class.

This. His funding pays for her to support him. Howe er she does also support another child with SN and helps out with the other children as appropriate. All the other TA's are great, but I have less personal appreciation for what they specifically do for DS

I was a qualified nurse in the NHS for 25 years (specialist nurse for a lot of that time), before retraining as a TA. Yes big pay drop but I’m still very much using my brains, and actually there were a lot of transferable skills. Three of the TAs in the school I work in are qualified teachers.

Someone up thread, presumably a classroom teacher, described TAs as a student's 'Velcro adult'. I know many educationalists are concerned that these velcro TAs do not contribute to the independent learning culture which is increasingly important at secondary level.
Sitting a child in her lap for half the morning, may be lovely for a young student and the TA, but it is hard to see how that aids educational achievement and independence.

@Fibbke Yes amazing for your child, probably less amazing for the other 32 in the class
Also what do you suggest the classroom staff do with an overwhelmed and scared 4 yo? Surely the point of TA's in part is to help those kids who need it. If it was 1 teacher and no TA's what should she do with my child when he's crying cos he's scared and panicking

mrsmuddlepies whilst I do appreciate it is not the same in every school, as a TA I am expected to prepare differentiated planning for in class 1-1 support, my in class small group work and my interventions. I am also expected to create my own resources to support these. Progress is measured termly and I am expected to illustrate and explain any deviations from expectation. I do monthly reports on each child I support, meet with the SENCO, EPs and SALTs to update and plan. Without exception we work with the most challenged and challenging children in school.

Perhaps you could find out a bit more about TAs before you write them off.

I know many educationalists are concerned that these velcro TAs do not contribute to the independent learning this certainly isn't all schools tho, even with DS having his own TA/121 and my comment uppost him sitting in her lap whilst he was upset, once he settlted he was moved on to the floor and once he was happy she went off to support another child. In class she takes him to his session and leaves him. And when he had a panic attack she was the one who comforted and looked after him.

The thing is, being a qualified nurse or indeed a teacher is not a requirement for a TA. So, if a teacher is a TA, they are not there to teach unless they have agreed to teach on a TA's pay.
The point is, how much educational gain comes from having TAs in a TA role in the classroom? Unless there is a really significant gain to students in terms of their learning, it is not justifiable to have TA support ( except as part of an EHC plan).

I have so much respect for them x

he wanted to be an admin assistant which in terms of skill, I think is similar to a TA

It probably depends.

Our office admin staff use specific packages which they’ve had quite a bit of training on-the TAs much less so.

The TAs are fab-helpful, kind, useful, practical and empathic but I wouldn’t necessarily describe it as a highly skilled role.

I honestly don’t think the role will exist in ten years unless the government does a 360 turn in policy and funding.

Part of the roll of ds 1-1 is to help him build his independence and his ability to work with other pupils.

Since having full time 1-1 he is now able to engage in class and is making progress.

His 1-1 is also one of the staff members who is having specialist training to support him medically.

Idontwanttotalk got to the nub of it. Being a TA is an important job but it's low skilled. Same with cleaners, carers, and lots of other jobs.

Being a TA to a child like ds certainly isn’t low skilled!

I certainly wouldn't write off TAs, especially if there is a requirement for TA support as part of an EHC plan. However, many schools have chosen to withdraw students in small groups and use individual intervention by qualified teachers, to improve performance.
If TAs in the classroom are shown to be effective as a way of improving student learning, then their numbers will increase.Schools are keen to use all strategies that improve performance. This is not the case at many secondary schools which have chosen to cut down on the use of TAs (not sure about primaries). As I said before, if TA support is prescribed as part of an EHC then it is a different matter and a different role.

Being a TA to a child like ds certainly isn’t low skilled!

Which high-level skills does it require?

I don't think an admin assistant could do my TA job.

I had two of my target children who were unable to read back in September. Their reading ages were around 4/5 years below their chronological ages. Both of them have made at least 4 years' progress in 9 months and their confidence is soaring.

I don't think an admin assistant could do my TA job.

Well, that would entirely depend on the person. They might struggle to begin with, they might not. Like any other job, I guess. It would probably turn out just fine.