People who described themselves as teachers when they’re actually teaching assistance or cover supervisor

[KarlWrenbury]

This is a thing I’ve noticed recently. Is it because they can’t be asked to describe what they really do or is it slightly more disingenuous? For reference no I don’t think it’s a great amazing thing to be a teacher but it’s interesting that they do.

assistants *

I'm the estates manager in a large comprehensive, I also taught science for 18 years previously, hold QTS, have a PGCE etc. and am a full member of the NEU, and yes I still call myself a teacher (and Estates Manager of course), and very occasionally do still teach (I dip into physics if there is sickness).

Teacher is also not a protected term, there is for example the guitar teacher, the judo teacher etc etc... not to mention all the really good, yet totally unqualified ladies and gents to be found in independent and indeed state schools.

I have taken 20+ juniors on a bus...

@Nanny0gg In what capacity? Were you the only adult?

It's an absolute piss take that so many primary kids are being literally taught by TA's, but no they are not teachers, even if they are teaching.

Being a teacher is a qualification, as well as a role.

That said, I have known several fully qualified teachers who have taken cover supervisor roles.

Maybe in primary, definitely not secondary.

@JustSawJohnny Agreed. I was a HLTA for a while after I returned from mat leave after my third child. I was also a qualified teacher with around 15 years' of experience and a SEND specialism. But I was exactly that - a HLTA. I would never have referred to myself as a teacher during that time period. Ultimately went back to teaching though as my role was pushed into a £13 ph Cover Supervisor which wasn't something I ever wanted to do (employed as a 1-1 SEND HLTA but we can all guess why that was stopped. Budget).
I left primary teaching last year (best decision ever) and now work as an EOTAS Tutor. I've never felt as valued as I do now - by parents, care workers, by the children themselves ❤️

There’s a big difference in how teachers and TAs behave, as a parent. “Well dun” was written by a TA in my child’s book. Lots of basic literacy issues, a lack of understanding as to professional behaviour. I don’t like TAs saying that they are teaching professionals. I know there are some outstanding ones but there are some who can barely spell. It is clear there are not broadly similar standards in terms of professionalism, behaviour or literacy.

If you say so.

I work in a hospital and know a few healthcare support workers who say they are nurses. One girl wrote posts about being a nurse on FB every day, whilst we all laughed out heads off bc she wasn't. Anyway she was sacked (for filming naughty videos in her uniform)

I actually find it quite insulting. I worked incredibly hard to become a teacher. A degree, followed by a PGCE and then a Master's. It also cost me a shit load of money. I've had to carry out numerous research studies, lots of teaching practice and external courses, plus all the other things TAs don't have to do. EHCPs, parents evening, reports, tracking attainment, end of key stage assessments, book scrutinies, lesson planning, differentiation, marking, spending a load of my income on resources, working a 60+ hour week. The list goes on.

A TA is not a teacher, in the same way that a flight attendant is not a pilot. The roles, the training and the knowledge required are vastly different, and I've done both.

My step sister is a TA. She has very low levels of literacy and numeracy, her speaking is embarrassing (things like dropping h's, leaving t's off the ends of words, saying th as f, mispronounciation, inappropriate slang, absolutely no general knowledge etc. She tells people she's a teacher. She couldn't qualify as a teacher if her life depended on it. People mock her behind her back because it's blatantly obvious she's not a teacher. (She's an awful person, so attracts negative attention).

If someone who is a qualified teacher changes role to a TA, they're still a qualified teacher and that's fine. A TA who has no qualifications, or a level 1/2/3 in being a teaching assistant, then they absolutely should not be calling themselves a teacher.

As for people saying it's "snobby" to think that way, it's just another example of how English people sneer at academia and education. I wonder how you'd feel about a nurse calling themselves a surgeon and attempting to perform a heart bypass on you?

They aren't teachers.

There’s always one.

Two on this thread.

I was an HLTA before retirement, and did mostly teaching, specific subjects which I planned and delivered and assessed (MFL and Maths), and cover for teachers' PPA which I delivered. If asked what I used to do, I say that I used to teach rather than that I was a teacher, because that is what I used to do!

As a TA I’ve had to correct the spelling of a fair few teachers and have advised several NQTs on SPAG, topic and mathematical content when asked. I have more teaching experience than many new teachers I have supported over the years. I am always respectful and never bring up my former role however I will not be told I am not a teacher. Once a teacher always a teacher. The qualifications and experience which helped me to get my new role have not disappeared. I use them every day in the work I do. I simply don’t have my own class anymore.

How about instead of yet another MN thread sneering at TAs we recognise that all TAs regardless of qualifications are not valued or paid nearly enough and the role has completely changed. Most parents would be shocked to know what TAs have to do as part of their role now.

I think some people are looking at the word “teacher” as a title whereas others are looking at it as an extension of the verb (as in “I teach, therefore I’m a teacher”). Kind of in a similar way to “I run, therefore I’m a runner” as opposed to being a professional athlete.

If I taught my subject in secondary I would have far greater subject knowledge than most secondary school teachers of that subject. I’m an HE lecturer with a PhD. But I am not a qualified teacher - no QTS. There will be plenty of people like me teaching in the private sector. How do you know what the academic background of the cover teacher is?

It's wrong, disingenuous. Lying. Like a hcp implying they are a doctor when they aren't. I want to know if someone is a TA or a teacher. There is a Difference to me.

What about teachers who get timetabled to teach something that is not their specialism? Are they not a teacher on that occasion as they don't have the specialist knowledge you think they should have? (Yet still expected to plan, mark and deliver this non specialism)
(Intrigued as this is one of the many reasons I left teaching).

It’s the same in lots of trades and professions, not just teaching. There are huge numbers of people who call themselves accountants despite not having an accountancy qualification but just doing accounting work- the word accountant isn’t protected/regulated. Likewise joiners, decorators, plumbers etc - odd job men and diy-ers set themselves up using those descriptors despite no formal training or qualification. There are actually few trades and professions with protected and regulated descriptors. But even in those, such as solicitors, you get trainees, part qualified or other people working in law describing themselves as solicitors informally even if they can’t use the term formally. My nephew tells everyone he’s a teacher when he’s a TA but we also have a neighbour who tells everyone she’s a nurse when she’s a HCA in reality.

You aren’t a teacher.

Massive difference between managing behaviour in a room and setting work left by the teacher and teaching.

If you don't see that then you don't understand teaching.

The thing is, a nurse will never walk into a hospital and be asked to actually perform surgery . Or several surgeries, for several days /weeks.

I’ve been a TA for a long time and in that time , I’ve taught every subject in every year group. Often, I had a class completely on my own. I’ve done marking, including taking books home. I’ve attended meetings with OTs and EPs. I’ve attended parent meetings and progress meetings. I’ve done planning and differentiation , and a billion other things.I’ve even had my own (small) class that I was responsible for , for a while.Not regularly or frequently, but it has happened because it needed to be done.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t like the blurring of the lines because I do not want to be a teacher and just because I can do all that(and do it well) doesn’t mean I should be expected to do it . Especially not on a TA wage.

Are we talking primary or secondary here?
I’m in primary, and bar the odd occasion when the children were continuing on from the day before(and that’s on lesson of the day out of 6), I’ve never just walked into the room , gave children work and let them get on with it , without some form of teaching happening first. If I was lucky and it was a preplanned absence and an organised teacher , then I’d have a clear plan (adjusted to the class) and a presentation to go from plus the work ready to go, which with some experience and subject knowledge is pretty easy. If not (and it has happened more than once), then I had to sort all of that out, plus actually delivering those lessons.

I think it probably mattered more in the past when teachers had a status. People were proud to be a teacher. I rarely see anything positive about being a teacher, particularly on mumsnet, so it’s probably more common that other workers in schools don’t see the difference. It’s like the dinner lady who warms up the baked beans. She’s not a chef but nobody really notices the difference any more.

I'm a qualified teacher who is currently working as a TA - I do a fair bit of teaching as part of my role. As do the other TAs I work with, so I can't get worked up about this.
As for cover supervisors, obviously some are more qualified/better at teaching than others, but if they are at the front of the class, delivering a lesson or trying to help children to understand the set work, that's teaching!