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.

YANBU, we typically give a teacher gift then a school, staff gift for TA’s and the behind the scenes staff such as the lady in finance, admin, the HT PA etc.

Ah...explains it all...i was in a 6th form college....but do primary teachers want to be overloaded with a ton of bath bombs and shampoo etc...i wouldnt want these many gifts....sounds awful pressure also....

I was responding to this: I was planning on something for two TAs, a teacher, and a PE guy I see about on Wednesdays which suggests more than a card.

But a weekly group intervention isn't the same thing as the children that are targeted for regular TA support in the classroom, is it? I'm talking about the children who routinely spend time with the TA in class time, completing the classwork.

Do TAs that do this even exist any more? Not where I teach, nor in my previous school.

I don’t think the role of a TA is really properly understood.

Primary TAs are the unseen glue that holds the class together. They deal with every child (even if they are assigned as a 1:1) and know them inside out (and probably know everything about you too as children tell them everything).

They deal with absolutely everything: relationship difficulties, emotional outbursts, sickness, diarrhoea, grazed knees, medicines, child protection disclosures, lunch options, school play tickets, library books, reading books, water bottles, lost coats, music for your child’s school play, resources for every lesson (many made with own money). They are probably out with them every lunchtime and at least one break time a week, and may also be serving them their lunch in the canteen…. And of course, the educational stuff too….

It’s very unlikely your child never interacts with a TA.

Yes, I am a TA, and am feeling increasingly unappreciated.

Yes, everything is a competition to show off these days.

Nope it's not new. I've been a teacher for 15 and have always had gifts and cards.

Yep totally agree
Dd3 always did a modest gift for teacher, ta and afterschool club staff.
I always did a handwritten card thanking them for all the time they gave her and how it made a difference to her and me.
I must admit I was a bit hit and miss with the older 2 but had a few teacher/ta friends by the time the third came along and had a better understanding.

I always buy for both. DD is very able and doesn’t have support from the TAs for schoolwork, but the TAs comfort her when she’s upset, do first aid when she’s hurt, help her find things she’s lost and are just generally important adults in her life. I always want to recognise that.

DS is being assessed for ASD and I want to shower his teaching assistants with medals for everything they do. He would be unable to access mainstream without their support. They explain things, help him manage transitions, keep him on task, help him, support him, deal with toilet accidents, praise him and encourage him. I am so eternally grateful for everything they do to help him!

I buy for all the TAs and teachers as above, sometimes just little chocolates with a card, sometimes a nice breaktime snack to share, but I value their contributions to my children equally and never want the teacher to get a bigger present. I except their teachers would want that too because it’s very much a team effort!

To be honest @Potterie I often jump on "what should I buy teachers..." threads to say don't buy anything, I don't want parents spending what they can't afford on me. So if you don't get anything for anyone then absolutely fair enough.
The really dismissive attitudes to TAs on this thread are so sad though. Most of them do an amazing job and make a huge difference to your children, just that they tend to stay in the background.

I was a bit 'ouch' at the low ability remark

Yes of course children have different abilities
I suppose I am sensitive to it as my son had a lot of TA support but is not in fact 'low ability' . He was very behind in primary because of his early life experiences ( he is adopted). By secondary he had caught up but it took years of input from teachers and fabulous TAs.

I was a 1:1 TA for 6 yrs following the year group from Yr 1 to Yr 6. I knew the children really well. Even though I was a 1:1 it was me that supervised break times, supported at lunchtimes, dealt with fall outs, noticed and reported cp issues, spotted children with unidentified SEN and got their teachers to get them assessed and supported, found ways to support children who needed help in class, did first aid, looked after them when they were ill, challenged the brightest children with new ideas etc. etc. etc. All for not much more than minimum wage.

I can gaurentee that if your child's class has a TA, your child will have benefited from that in some way even if they don't really realise it. By the time we were in Yr 6 the children were old enough to decide for themselves to show appreciation and I got lots of lovely cards and gifts. To be honest a homemade card is wonderful. It's not about having a gift, it's about being appreciated.

I see a lot of those children around still and even though they are well into secondary school now they still call out my name and say hello if they see me and I get big smiles from them which is lovely. It does show that I mattered to them even though technically I was a 1:1 TA to another child.

It's really sad to see some of the attitudes here towards TAs.

probably....well i wouldnt want a load of bath bombs....dont have a bath...!!...or chocolates...but could regift to others....save spending and buying gifts....not that i do that...!!

I always get the teacher and the ta (one assigned to each class) the same gift each, every year. I don't buy for the 1.2.1 additional TA as I know she is specifically 1.2.1 for one child all day and doesn't work with the other kids.

In eldest class, they have a job share two teachers plus a TA so three identical gifts.

I spend less per gift as I like to get them all something the same value (usually a coffee voucher or something consumable).

I'm a TA, and I can't say that there's been a single day at my job when I have only worked with "lower ability" children. I regularly take out a higher attaining group who have already grasped the main concept being taught and do something additional with them to extend them. Several times recently the teacher and I have each had half of the class to do different inputs in maths when everyone's at a different stage and needs a different thing. I read with every child at least once a fortnight. I teach my own phonics group, twice a day, who are very much "middle ability" as they're the top phonics group. I have just gone round the classroom in my head and I have had a personal interaction with every child in my class today - checking their writing with them, chatting with them at lunchtime, doing first aid, colouring with them in golden time, correcting behaviour, etc. Sometimes (and with some child) I spend more time with them than the teacher does.

I don't need presents (although I do appreciate them), but I am very much involved in the education of every single child in my class. No, I don't have to plan (although I do talk through the plans with the teacher and give opinions/suggestions) and I'm not held responsible for data and children's progress, but in many aspects I am a (far lower paid) second teacher in that class.

(My favourite ever thing I've recieved at Christmas from a child was a card in which he had written "Merry Christmas, Miss GoodLookingGuy, and please don't eat any nuts because you're the best TA ever" [I'm allergic].)

When my kids were small, it was almost impossible to find out who the TA was!

Just buy a packet of biscuits for the staff room, attach a card saying it's for All Staff and don't stress it!

I regularly take out a higher attaining group who have already grasped the main concept being taught and do something additional with them to extend them.

If this was happening in my DD's school I'd be ecstatic. It's not though.

I think people should do whatever they want. I am a teacher and do not expect or encourage any gifts. I used to buy for people at my dad's school but it was so expensive I eventually moved to gifts for staff room to share. I intend this year to buy a load of chocolates and biscuits and send them in for staff to share.

I found the perfect thread to ask this question.

My daughter has two main key workers at nursery.

But there are two additional carers in the same room who help out if one of her key workers is busy/absent.

I was going to get gift cards for her keyworkers but do I also get something for the other two? Does it have to be the same value?

I am a midday supervisor. A child today told me they loved me and that I'm the best teacher in the world. I'll take that over a present.

No you don't NEED to buy a present, a card saying thank you would be very much appreciated though I'm sure, or even an email, or even just a 'thank you for all your help' said at pick up when you see them.

I think a few posters have focused on the gift giving and expense here. Perhaps I should've been more explicit in my post but I though the way I worded it was clear - IF you are getting a gift for the teacher to show appreciation don't forget to show appreciation to the TA too. It absolutely does not NEED to be a present. A card is great, an email costs nothing but either would mean a lot.

TAs are not there to support the teacher (who is more than able to teach the class), they are there to support your child. Maybe ask your child who helps them read, who sorts them out when they graze their knee, who comforts them if they get upset in school when thinking about sad things, who helps them find their lost stuff etc.

As for those saying that it's just TAs doing their job, maybe you've never experienced someone showing appreciation to you? That feeling puts a smile on a face and lifts spirits. TAs aren't in it for the money, there's not exactly career progression for them in this role; they do it to support children.

My child (6) has support from a TA because he struggles to pay attention and often zones out when the teacher is talking, so really benefits from the TA checking in on him to make sure he understands what he's supposed to be doing. There's no concerns about his reading ability or maths. So lower ability children isn't really the correct phrase to use, TA's support in all sorts of ways.

The I would hope you are getting the TA who works with your son a gift or card, beside, as he clearly receives and benefits from a TA being allocated time to work specifically with him.

My DD would no doubt benefit from one in one attention as well - all children will do better with an adult next to them helping them focus, helping correct mistakes or misunderstandings as they occur. For example, she finds inference a bit hard and would likely improve this skill faster if she had a TA with her to ask the right leading questions during reading exercises that test this skill. However, she doesn't get any, and nor do most of the class, because support is targeted to those pupils who have the greatest need of it. This is what I mean.