To think the general public don't understand the job role of a Teaching Assistant?

[notyourmummy]

This might turn into an "I'm a TA, ask me anything" and that's fine.
Having been speaking to both my family and parents at my children's school, I've realised that there's still a common misconception that TAs only make displays, mix paint and wipe snotty noses... what do you think a TA does at your child's school, how much do you think they're paid and what hours do they work?!!

TAs are literally assistant teachers under direction of the teacher but also helping their class pupils to learn
So they do the small group teaching, reading, testing, multiplication tables tests, recording results, prep and additional support with pupils who need more. They're as busy as the teachers are , all for a very low wage.

They aren't as busy as teachers surely. No lesson planning? Do they do whole class marking?

I'm a parent and I support teachers and TAs whole heartedly. It's a difficult job in a difficult environment- social political financial etc.In an ideal world, we would have lovely small class sizes and lots more teachers and occasional TAs to genuinely assist a teacher, not to cut corners.
As a profession, be grateful you're not librarians though. Professional librarians in public libraries are virtually extinct these days. Library Assistants do virtually everything that professional or chartered librarians used to do, but for a cut price wage. That's if even the Library Assustants' jobs haven't been axed and an army of well-meaning volunteers have pushed them out by offering to 'play libraries' for free.

Oh wow. How come they are not included in the teaching strikes? I thought it was all classroom staff

Im in england, i dont think support staff met the threshold for strikes. Teachers pay and conditions are negotiated separately from support staff pay and conditions i think welsh support staff met the threshold.

Some aren’t aware of how much TAs are relied upon to cover classes (even when not experienced). Some were regularly teaching classes and involved in the running of the school despite having a low level TA qualification. It was alot cheaper than bringing in a qualified teacher. School budgets have become so restricted in certain areas, I’m amazed the schools are still open 5 days a week.

Lots of interesting answers, thanks! I'm currently working as a TA, today I've been slapped, punched, kicked, spat on and told to f off, been called a c* and for this I earn just shy of £12k a year. I work 8-3.30. For the people who've asked if anyone cares, no, they don't - that's exactly my point... we're basically babysitting children and the wider public think we're drinking tea and mixing paint!!

We plan lessons and mark the work we've planned. We don't get planning time to do this.

Why are you planning lessons?

today I've been slapped, punched, kicked, spat on and told to f off, been called a c and for this I earn just shy of £12k a year.*

What happens to the children when they behave like this? Does the school exclude children for any of these behaviours?

Haven't a clue, but I always make sure that the class TA gets the same level group gift as our class teacher.

I’ve never given it much thought. There are various low paid jobs in which people work hard for long hours. Carers aren’t paid a lot and have 12 hour shifts. The TAs seem to all go home at school finishing hours while the teachers are often still there after 5:00. Not sure what the general public are supposed to do about any information about what TA’s do.

I'm an LSA in secondary and though we are never expected to teach or cover lessons (though some of us have been asked as we have degrees or relevant experience, we have declined), we are all responsible for either 1-1 pupils or whole classes, some of us are spread between 2 or 3 pupils as there just aren't enough of us. We do lunch duties for both supervised clubs, or specific pupils, meaning often we don't get to have a break or to eat. Lots of our pupils have medical conditions so the majority of us are trained to administer epilepsy medicine, use of hoists etc. The majority of us are present in exams, to either scribe/read or monitor the room.
On a regular basis I am pretty much also a 1-1 tutor for my pupil who is doing his GCSES and misses a fair amount of school, without me he wouldn't be able to catch up at all as luckily I understand most of the work. I'm on about 14k a year and have to sell stuff on Vinted to be able to get through the month. It's absolutely ridiculous. Some parents understand what we do daily, others really don't and think we all get paid enough when the reality is a lot of us struggle to make ends meet.

I'm a TA. I'm in my late 30's, and support a new teacher in her early 20's. She's a lovely human, but is often clueless when it comes to children. She often spends more time out of the classroom, chatting and so on, and I get left with a class of 26, several times a day. There's times she's sat at her desk chatting or whatever, and I'm the one doing work with the children. I then have my own chores to do on top. This involves cleaning up after everyone, teacher included, make sure all work is up to date in books, teach each child to read, do phonics, maintain the overall display of the classroom, yard duty, lunch duty. Clean cuts and bruises, ensure all equipment is replenished and in place for the next lesson, help coordinate work, work with the children who struggle, as the teacher edges towards those who find school work easier. Bring children in in the morning, let them out, deal with most complaints. If I'm busy doing something else and the teacher has to do a simple task of bringing children in alone, she will leave them outside until I'm done, or make someone fetch me. I look after children who are ill, upset or hurt. If I'm ill she contacts me every night asking when I'll be back until I return, and then will go off sick herself. We are significantly overlooked, underpaid and undervalued.

You could apply the same question to any job in the world.

The more interesting question is why on earth do you think you are so special?
It’s a job like any other. The end. No gold stars needed.

I'm a teacher in a high school and our SLAs are worth their weight in gold! For me, they mainly support pupils with their learning and help manage behaviour too in class but I know in other departments such a English and maths they do much more. Our school is lucky to have such amazing SLAs who work so hard though sadly I have worked in schools where their role is more limited and they do very little to support the teacher.

I worked as a TA about 12 years ago and it was one of the easiest jobs I've ever had. However I can well believe it's not the cushy number it was back then anymore.

I supported 2 children with Special Educational needs to access the curriculum on a 1-1 basis (one in the morning, one in the afternoon) and when they didn't necessarily need me would either generally assist in their classroom, cover in nursery or do something around the School like displays or whatever. Took the afternoon kid for hydrotherapy once a week, that was fun.

‘Exploited’. I’m not sure that this is the correct word for someone that is paid to undertake a role. Your comment suggests to those that may not know otherwise that covering classes is perfectly reasonable for those TAs who have the correct level of training and skill to do so.

Perfectly reasonable. Provided they have the right level of training and skills, this is part of the job.

I've been a TA for about 18 months. I was recruited as a 1:1 for a named child but the goalposts were changed within a month. I suddenly found myself supporting a child who was physical and apt to trash the classroom. This would mean immediate evacuation of the other 29 children. I had zero training and was initially not involved in any meetings with parents. I just had to get on with it.

So I did.

At one point I was running 5 different interventions per week with no planning time. I'd stay late to prep. Unpaid of course.

We really are just 'bums on seats'. It's the only job I've ever had where I feel like a 'resource' rather than a human being. The amount of responsibility and input expected for the salary is so disproportionate it's obscene.

However, I love the children and I am a constant in the lives of those whose home life is beyond chaotic.

I will never work in a school again.

its the TA and carers that work In the community and care homes that deserve a pay rise. They earn peanuts.

Primary school teacher here. I literally could not do my job without my wonderful TA, I appreciate her so much. It’s shameful what support staff are paid!

They do a great job, but it needs clarifying that the role of a TA is VERY different in Scotland. They are a wonderful support, but they don't do the job of a teacher (as they seem to do in England and Wales). Here you are not allowed to be responsible for a class/ take a class unsupervised unless you're a qualified teacher (so no student teachers either), and in Secondary you must have a degree in your subject. The entire system is very different.

I'd be interested in how it works in N Ireland and Eire too.

Because some teachers only make one lesson plan. They need to make 3 in reality. Those achieving, those behind and those who really need to be taught from scratch. Not including those who have difficulty at any level. Plus those who need extra nurturing. Social skills. I've even picked up a bit of speech therapy recently! Also the many movement breaks needed!

I do love my job. I love being busy. I enjoy planning my interventions. I hope most parents know I do an awful lot with my day. But I don't actually think I make a huge difference for these children. As with many we will have some very good work in their books but I'm back to square one the following day.