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 *

The problem lies with people playing down the role of a teacher. Teachers are qualified to a degree level. It is a skill. If, anecdotally, people say that their mate Jill with zero qualifications, that’s been working in a restaurant her whole life, is now a teacher in a school, when she is actually a TA, people start to lose respect for teaching and more and more people will not take up the profession, because it won’t be seen as a profession.

We all love TA’s. They are amazing, good people. They don’t do half the job or hours of a teacher though.

Lawyer is not a protected title either and anyone can legally call themselves one.
What do you imagine qualifies someone as a lawyer? Same with councillors or therapists. All entirely meaningless.
It's quite possible to Google a list of protected titles UK and there is not that many.

I was confused too for a moment, but assume they actually mean "can't be arsed"

I know and she doesn’t claim to be one. The school obviously think she can replace a teacher though. She gets annoyed as teachers get far more than her and she does their job. But this may be why some TA’s say they’re teachers because they effectively carry out teachers work

Don’t be ridiculous. A qualified sports coach would not be a qualified teacher but would be excellent at teaching KS3 PE.

How are you allowed to have unqualified teachers teaching classes? Is there not any regulations? In Australia, you must have a teaching qualification to be in front of the class. Even cover teachers must be fully qualified and registered. This is in both state and independent schools.

that said, we very often have teachers in secondary teaching outside their subject areas. There is actually no rules to stop that. Particularly in the sciences often in less attractive schools that struggle to get staff, they will have humanities or pe teachers teaching chemistry or physics.

Great, let them.

@Cosyblankets - the OP said earlier in a response "I don't mean to sound snobby" then recited the fact she can sign passports but TAs can't as if that's an indication of being better than TAs.

As someone whose mum is a HLTA and sister is a teacher (and who works in a profession filled with snobbery) I've no room for that sort of hierarchy and I'd tell my sister to pack it in if she said that to my mum.

I wouldn't expect a TA to go round saying "I'm a teacher" but my point was the semantics of saying "I teach children" (or "they do") seems a safe space if people aren't sure.

No one is suggesting we shouldn’t let them. I was responding to your silly commment that the alternative to a qualified teacher teaching PE was to have a cleaner do it.

I know I am very cool because a Year 8 pupil told me I was today. I was able to discuss the inner workings of a Jedi temple with him and he was so impressed.

I did want to point out that nerd was probably nearer to accuracy than cool!

As for the title, in Primary TAs do more teaching as TAs in secondary are more likely assigned a class or pupil, rather than a teacher and they move about a lot. Regardless many are bloody invaluable and can call themselves what they want.

I’m actually terrible at teaching PE and I hold QTS and am very specialised in my area. I’m also not first aid trained so am less useful with injuries etc than many of our TAs and dinner ladies.

They do parent’s evenings, plan, attend staff meetings, mark books, assess and input data, write reports, phone parent’s after school, meet other professionals, fill in outside agency reports and work at least a 40 hour week?

If they do and they are being paid as a TA I suggest they talk to their union rep.

Nope. No regulations especially in academies and private schools.
In reality the vast majority of teachers in secondary have a degree and a teaching qualification.

We had Michael Gove as Education secretary. He allowed it in free schools, academies and private.

It is cheaper and schools, sadly, are businesses

I think it’s something that is actually encouraged in school- we often call all staff the ‘teacher’

I actually assumed it was to stop children thinking they could ignore/ disrespect the ta and only have to follow direction from the teacher

it also is just easier to say it …

To be fair, it’s not just because it’s cheaper. Sometimes it’s all that we can find.

Yes! If it quacks like a duck, you can sure as hell believe that it will be expected to swim like a duck ( quite often actually!)

@Nevertrustacop yes only Solicitor and Barrister are but I wasn't going to pick at that given my chosen title - interestingly Legal Counsel also isn't protected. I had someone once ask at a new role if I was qualified (I'm in-house and can't imagine being called a "solicitor" now)

She’s taking early retirement later this year as she’s worn out.

Not all of them.

I agree it is disingenuous. I come across it a fair bit. I know TAs do lots of class cover these days, but teachers do this and loads.more.bits which fulfill the role of teacher. I never say anything but tend to assume that they are trying to sound more qualified/impressive than they actually are.
I should say that being a good TA is a really skilful role and when done well makes a.massive difference to a class/child. I also think they are given too much class cover and should be paid more.
I've also come across people who work in some kind of health care setting and insist on calling themselves 'a medic' as if they were a doctor.

Is it the adults or kids doing this? Kids always refer to their TAs as teachers IME

I'm a lunchtime supervisor at a First school, and have never told anyone I am a teacher, because I am not. My usual stance is to say 'I work in a school in a non-teaching role', if I want to be generic. If I were to say 'I work in a school', most people just jump to the conclusion I'm a teacher. Any one coming into school to cover a class on a temporary basis, are always fully qualified teachers in my school. At my school all TA's are Higher Level Teaching Assistants, which mean they are qualified to a high standard to be able to teach a class on their own. TA's are not supposed to teach a class, unless they are a HLTA, but in some schools it happens. Children, especially at primary age, will refer to adults at school as a 'teacher', even if they're not. A child isn't necessarily going to understand the difference between a teacher and a TA or HLTA - they are all adults that teach them, as far as they're concerned.

Bc it’s a lie.

Independent schools, academy schools and free schools can employ unqualified people as teachers. State-funded local authority schools can’t.