To say that you can't "just be a teaching assistant"

[elliejjtiny]

My youngest is in year 6 so I am feeling reflective.

I've seen people on here and in real life suggest that people "just get a job as a teaching assistant" as a childcare solution.

There is no such thing as just a teaching assistant. The teaching assistants and learning support assistants at my dc primary and secondary schools are super heroes.

There are 3 TA's at my dc primary school who have been there since the 1980's. One retired but missed it so much she came back and volunteers now. They remember every child who has been through the school and they always want to know how my older ones are getting on.

There is the TA who takes the most difficult children out in small groups once a week which is my youngest child's favourite time.

There are several class TA's who are trying to do 1-1 for children who need 1-1 but don't qualify and also trying to help the other children too.

In my dc secondary school the support staff are like ninjas, trying to support 2 or more children who need 1-1 but only have enough funding for part time 1-1. These children often have different needs so they are scribing for one child and trying to stop another child escaping. Then there is the endless paperwork trying to get more funding, referrals for assessment etc.

There seem to be so many children who need support but don't qualify for funding. Children who need specialist school who are in mainstream and children who need more support than their funding allows.

I just think that teaching assistants are doing an amazing job for very little pay and often not a lot of recognition either.

I 100% agree with everything you’ve said. The TA’s I know are absolute diamonds and often far more approachable than the teacher.

As a primary teacher I agree 100%!

100% agree.

One seriously underpaid and undervalued job (as are Early Years Practitioners).

I'm in secondary, I have to know subjects up to GCSE including English lit and lang, higher levels in maths, triple and combined science. Yep it's dead easy.

Agree x 1000.

I work in a primary school office and I see (and am in absolute awe of) the work our TAs do every hour of every day I'm in school. Their drive, energy and commitment, their humour, resilience and kindness, not to mention the unbelievable patience they demonstrate with every child they work with - and some of these children really really struggle, and can be really really challenging - is absolutely amazing. I suspect many schools would completely fall apart without their network of TAs.

Yes you get the holidays, but it is absolutely not an easy option!!

Shit, voted the wrong way. Meant to say you ANBU

Round here you could walk into a high school TA job as they can't get people to take the hours for kids with ehcps. Primary school much harder and need experience

I work in a secondary school. We’re desperate for TAs as so many children have needs. We’ve got lots of untrained TAs, including students who left the school last year. A few years ago, it took two years to get a level 2 and 3 TA qualification. Now we’re taking on untrained people. A good TA is an absolute asset to the school, but we’ve also unfortunately got some pretty poor ones too.

I absolutely agree with your last paragraph and also think better pay would help out to have more people willing to do a very difficult job.

In my opinion TAs do just as hard a job as a teacher. They're often supporting the most vulnerable, the most challenging children and those with complex learning needs which need different approaches. It requires specialist knowledge and skills most TAs just don't have.

Yes the teacher is teaching the whole class and has to plan etc, but with all the above, a TA shouldn't be paid much less than a teacher, if not the same.

Two adults in every classroom. Classroom teacher, and learning support teacher. Both separate qualifications with differing times at university/college, but both paid similar, in my opinion. The support teacher slightly less if anything.

@elliejjtiny From a TA, thank you.
I have been a TA in Sen for 18 years and I have a Btec in Childcare and Education (equivalent to Nneb) and a Degree. Many Ta's I know have various qualifications including degrees and various education related qualifications and/or years of experience. I find it quite insulting when posters say, "Just get a TA job to fit in with school hours" as if it's incredibly easy to get into/a stop gap job. It's really not.

@CoffeeTable22 good teachers don't put their TA with the most needy children all the time. I work with those children more often than my TA but I see your point.

Also I only have my TA for half the morning and not at all in the afternoons as our school budget is too tight. She is very often redeployed to other year groups to cover sickness or meetings or as emergency 1:1 cover so I massively appreciate her when I have her!

Thanks OP, I really needed that post today.
I’m a TA in a primary school.
I’m threatened with being punched in the face on a regular basis, and bear the brunt of all the frustrations of all the challenging children.
I actually do enjoy my job (most of the time) though as I feel I am making a real contribution to the most vulnerable in society, and it can be very rewarding when you see progress or earn a child’s trust.

My daughter’s ASNA is worth her weight in gold. What she is paid is criminal.

Also, I think Assistant Teacher is a better description of what we do (I’m not the teacher’s personal assistant). Learning Support Assistant is too much of a mouthful!

As long as their TA is being funded by the school to be a roaming TA and not the 121 described in and funded by a kid's EHCP.

I’ve had to do a week with 24 year ones minus my TA this week. I think I might kiss her when she is back. After years of not amazing TAs I feel so blessed to have a very good one this year.

Agreed. I have a non classroom based job in a school and am in awe of the sheer amount of effort our TAs put in. Most of ours have been there much longer than most of our teachers, for WAY less pay. And the incident forms are usually "TA hurt by child" in some form

I agree, TAs are amazing, neither of my two have 1:1 but have benefited massively from the various TAs in their classes in primary. One of the TAs was in my older son's class from reception to year 4 and is now in my younger son's class so we have known her longer than any of the teachers (who to be fair have also been great) I have actually tried to talk a couple of friends out of applying despite knowing they'd be good at it because it's so poorly paid with such huge expectations for the perceived 'level' of job. Especially if you are a conscientious person who doesn't have the 'thats not my job' mentality. I worry for them but at the same time I am also very grateful they are now at my children's school making an amazing contribution!

I think people say this to mothers without qualifications because the training required is not particularly difficult or long, and compatible with having children, rather than meaning to undervalue the role itself. I’m a GP and we often get called “just a GP” which annoyed me, but I think it’s for similar reasons, much of the general public think you automatically qualify as a GP once you leave medical school and don’t realise we have to choose to train in this area for years postgrad and take exams etc just like any other speciality (I will admit the training is slightly shorter than average although increasingly GPs are in consensus that training time probably should be longer as it’s very full on).

When I'm talking about children who literally can't access the same curriculum, have behavioural needs that require them to be out of the room most of the time, then yes, good teachers do put their TA with these kids. We have no choice.

I speak from experience, and I consider myself a good, experienced teacher.

Which is most TAs nowadays. There aren't many 'floating' TAs left.
Even then there are plenty of children waiting EHCPs who can't cope without a 1:1.

I think the role of a TA has changed massively in recent years and it is now mainly about supporting children with additional needs.

DS has full time 1-1 in year 10 and his TA is amazing. Is is able to access most of the mainstream curriculum because of her support.

I am a TA in a primary school, I love my job but it’s hard work. I think it’s a job that if you don’t love you would find it very hard to keep going.

TA’s are Not funded by an ehcp
i have been told many times (as 1-1 ta)
any funding goes towards the ‘provision’ for that student it does not go towards the wages/ staff

This is exactly the kind of thread I needed to read right now. I'm a teaching assistant and I honestly adore my job but this week has been SO hard. I feel under appreciated, undervalued and underpaid but to know there are people out there who do see how hard we work honestly means the world. Thank you OP!