To think if you get the teacher an Xmas gift..

[twohomesneeded]

... that you don't forget the TA?

It doesn't have to be another gift, just a card from your child (or you) saying how much their support is appreciated.

Being a TA can sometimes be a thankless (and occasionally challenging) task and this one small thing could just make your child's TA smile and count themselves lucky to have great kids and parents at their school.

We will be buying our son's TA a present because she's awesome. She works with our.son who is definitely not low ability!

Teachers - would you appreciate a gift for yourself or for your classroom? Ie resources - and if so what would be beneficial? Would rather get something useful! Age is 5 - 8. Thank you!

I’d appreciate a nice little email, copied into my head, which would secure my pay progression

OK, so you find out their name. I'm sorry but what does that tell me? I still don't know whether they are mediocre or not. A lot of them can't spell. Unless I know somebody has gone above and beyond I'm not getting them a gift for doing their job, and that includes the teachers.

I do find the whole gifting idea odd. Why doesn’t the headteacher, PE teacher, receptionist, cook or cleaner get a gift?

I think it’s unnecessary but it’s become socially expected. Would be helpful if all schools issued a statement requesting food bank or other charity donations instead.

Seems to be a thing in primary school. I see loads of kids on the last day when I drop my kids off.

Working in secondary I have recieved 1 gift in 16years and a few cards. I understand as they have so many teachers.

Ffs so I now have to spend more money for the TA? I’m not even sure I can afford the actual teacher who does the teaching a gift this year never mind worrying about the TA that isn’t there to help my child.

I’m a TA. I never speak to parents and I don’t exist to them. It doesn’t mean I don’t do the absolutely best for your child. Having said that I don’t expect a gift, but would adore a card if the child made one themselves.

Honestly, the primary teachers I know would prefer the gift to go to the ta, esp vouchers and such- they are underpaid, overworked and invaluable, often the only thing left in an underfunded school that fully enables the teacher to do their job! But both staff just want their work to be acknowledged, and cards are perfect for that!
to those who say ‘they get paid, just like other staff’: it is so important! When any staff, service&caring professions especially, are systematically underfunded and have their hours increased at the same time, it is worth acknowledging the hard work they do if you benefit from it. It is no stand-in for wages and resources, but it will often be the boost that gets good staff through another term.

Not if my child didn't interact with the TA

In my school the teachers buy gifts for the ta and rest of the support staff. If a ta is assigned to one child then that child’s parent might buy them a gift however, if they are like you and go between classes then the parents may not know them well enough to buy a gift.
My school puts out a letter and email each year saying that staff would be happy with a card and presents are not necessary.

I also know many kids don't talk much about what happened at school at pick up time, beyond the "ok" response when you ask how school was. That doesn't mean the TA hasn't supported your child at some point.

So everyone should buy the TA a gift or card for doing their jobs? Generally parents will buy gifts for the people the children ask to buy gifts for.

We have a class rep and money collected is always divided between the teacher, ta and other staff who contribute to the class (e.g 1:1 LSA)

SirSamVimesCityWatch · Yesterday 23:21
If they are working with a group of children, as opposed to a 1:1, then yes , those children would be lower ability in whatever aspect of work they were engaging in and in need of TA assistance. Otherwise they wouldn't need TA assistance!

I’m guessing you don’t have much understanding of how a primary classroom works. TAs don’t just work with ‘lower ability’ (a very outdated term) children.TAs are used with all abilities (unless specifically assigned to a child) Sometimes children need a challenge and will need some extra support or input to access the challenge no matter what their ability is.

Good TAs are worth their weight in gold and the work they do is often unseen and unappreciated.

The email to teacher thanking for continued support of your child and mentioning anything specific they have done for child, copied into head is a great idea and will help secure teacher gets pay progression up to top of scale. That costs nothing.

I think this might be the most sensible post I've ever seen on MN!

I’m guessing you don’t have much understanding of how a primary classroom works. TAs don’t just work with ‘lower ability’ (a very outdated term) children.TAs are used with all abilities (unless specifically assigned to a child) Sometimes children need a challenge and will need some extra support or input to access the challenge no matter what their ability is.

Maybe not. I used to teach secondary so it's different - TAs were only ever 1:1 support and couldn't be used in the way you describe. However as my DD has moved up through the years in primary there has been a definite shift away from what you describe and towards what I'd stated - to the point that this year my DD has had no interaction with the TAs in her class. One is a 1:1 support for a year 4 child who is working at reception levels and she is only ever with him. The other TAs are used to support small groups but she tells me it's always the same few kids. DD is bright and quiet, as are the other 5 girls on her table. They are sat at the back of the room and left to get on with it. If they finish work early they are told to read their books. (Which is shit but in a class of 33 not unexpected). They aren't getting any intervention from the TAs and so the TAs aren't getting a Christmas gift from me - or, I suspect, any of the other parents of kids on their table!

You can't afford a card?

Do you live under a rock? There are thousands of people in freezing homes who can barely afford to eat this winter. What a fucking insensitive comment

Ok, email then @Lastqueenofscotland2

Depends on how much the child deals with the ta. We once had a caretaker that went way over and beyond. He got crocs every year after.

I don't even know who the TA is or how many TAs are in my child's class. Seems to swop and change week by week so I've no idea who to even address stuff to. Setting my social anxiety off just thinking about it 😅

I always bought a little something for the TA as well- she had lots of interaction with all the children as she did register, playground etc as well as supporting children with their learning. That said, I think a card is fine but I'd always do the same for teacher and TA.

My son is year 1. We do handmade Christmas Cards for teachers/grandparents and include TA's. I buy a set of blank cards and envelopes and christmas themed stickers, red and green paint and set my son loose with it all at the kitchen table. In nursery I gave a tub of roses for the staff room as there were five members of staff plus students and I found it too much to try and get them all a present.

If they are working with a group of children, as opposed to a 1:1, then yes , those children would be lower ability in whatever aspect of work they were engaging in and in need of TA assistance. Otherwise they wouldn't need TA assistance!

My DD takes part in a weekly group intervention with a TA, because she has Autism. She is exceeding age related expectations in all areas of the curriculum. She is definitely not "lower ability". It's a shame that some adults make assumptions and underestimate the intelligence or ability of Autistic children and young people just because they need a little bit of help to manage some aspects of school life, but that's the world we live in unfortunately.