Teachers and TAs!

[NeedYourOpinion]

Do you enjoy your job? Is it a massive mistake as a career move?

I'm a secondary teacher and I love it! It depends entirely on the school I think. I love my students and my colleagues, and I get to spend every day teaching what I love. I teach at a strict school with a strong union and highly motivated students. I am very lucky.

It is a lot of hard work. I do enjoy my job but it’s not easy and working in my old career (finance) was much better for work life balance (and pay!). TA’s are very poorly paid for the work they do, but I find mine priceless. What’s your current role?

I have been a TA in lots of different schools on supply, I much prefer being a teacher(secondary) but I now teach in FE which I absolutely love. The workplace is still demanding, still learning walks, lots of assessments for progress ,etc but kids are mostly coming out of the stroppy, grunting stage. I really like being around teenagers though, I like their interaction and listening to their life plans.

I’ve been a TA and then a teacher, then back to TA again. I then left, but have had to return for 10 weeks. It’s been 10 very long weeks. I’ve come home with scratches on my face, bruises on my arm, cups broken and this week I’m having to throw my winter coat out (it got slime in the fluffy hood, I tried washing but all the nice, warm padding has now clumped together too).
yes, the children are - mostly - fantastic, and most staff are lovely as well, but does that make it worth it? Not really. Underpaid, undervalued, and I can’t wait to never step foot in a classroom again.

I appreciate your post. However… I was a teacher that you described as ‘cared’, I arrived to school every day at 7am and left at 6pm - I had an after school club on a Monday (all teachers had to run a club), Curriculum meeting on a Tuesday 4-5pm and our weekly whole staff morning briefing on a Wednesday morning 8-8:30. Also on a Wednesday there would be an after school teacher staff meeting 3:45-5pm - at one of the schools in the trust (there were 8), so that would involve a drive and would normally take me further away from home. The planning and resources take an age to prepare in primary - every day I would teach 9 lessons and all required resources. Every lesson needed adaptive teaching resources for SEND pupils - Widgets for vocabulary, colourful semantics etc. All SEND pupils have their own IEP so resources would need to be carefully matched to their targets. I had a class of thirty pupils, parents would email me in the middle of the day and be annoyed that I hadn’t responded by the time they were stood in front of me at pickup time… Doctors bat all SEND referrals back to schools, i.e teachers - an ADHD referral takes hours to complete. Don’t get me started on marking! A full time teacher is given 10% non contact time outside of the classroom for PPA - in most primary school that equates to about two hours. However, if any of your pupils needed you - usually a SEND child, the expectation was to go back to class. I worked every evening apart from a Friday but I would mentally plan out my weekend around my work ‘to do’ list. I cared. However, it eventually broke me and seriously impacted my relationships with my children, family and friends. I would actively avoid any social engagements during term time because I would be trying to catch up… Teaching is a job, albeit a rewarding one but teachers are burning out. If you got to the end of this - THANK YOU 🙏 I still care and I wish our DfE did too but the Education system is BROKEN 😡

Oh and definitely this. As someone who has very heavy periods, I lost count of the number of times I leaked because of not being able to go to the toilet. Tutor time started at 8:30, then teaching all through to break but then having a break duty, followed my more lessons (and secondary so there is no other adult in the class so you cannot leave them unsupervised) so sometimes I couldn’t go to the loo for 5 hours. Never mind the lack of any form of aircon or ventilation as some windows won’t open, so in the height of a heatwave you are left with just a tiny desk fan, to cool a room containing 30+ sweaty, teenage bodies. It was hard enough as someone in their 30s, I couldnt imagine doing it through peri.
and then there is working when ill as calling in sick is heavily frowned upon, but if you absolutely have to, you still need to plan all the lessons for the day. I’ve known people be admitted into hospital but still have the head calling them asking for the work to be set.

Absolutely

I worked in a school for a year in the offices and support staff like TA’s and admin staff keep things ticking over most definately.

they cover lessons and in some cases do their jobs for them and receive a lot less money - it’s brutal!!

This! I remember trying to explain to my mother that I hadn’t been able to go to the toilet all day as my TA was off sick. I let the class in at 8:35 and had spent every second of the day with them. I covered my TA’s break duty and lunch duty. Her lunch break was 1-1:30 so I couldn’t take her break because I had to teach! I finally got to the toilet at 3:20 (10 minutes before parent’s evening began at 3:30) and realised I had flooded and there was blood all over the back of my skirt. I had to tie my cardigan around my waist to hide it but I then looked utterly unprofessional. I even had an email from a parent stating that they thought I was unreasonable for having my cardigan tied around my waist in front of their child - school uniform policy was that children could not have their jumpers tied around their waist! I could hardly explain why I had, so instead sent an apologetic reply! My mother who had worked in the corporate world her entire career thought it was outrageous and actually said I needed to give my head a wobble!!!

Yep I have memories of teaching the lesson knowing my mooncup was full and leaking out but knowing there was nothing I could do about if for another 90minutes at least. I just had to smile and continue on like nothing was happening. The school had a strict no toilet during lessons policy for the students so would’ve been hypocritical of me to then dash out, never mind there was no one to cover and being a run-down comp on the middle of an estate with a not great reputation, I couldn’t leave the students unsupervised.
its degrading, teaching these days. I was just so grateful to be wearing black that day.

I didn't think I'd be the only (ex) teacher who struggled when on her period. When you think about it, it really is absolutely unacceptable for any employee to have to go through this. But as other posters have highlighted here, it's a common occurrence in teaching when you simply can't use the toilet for hours.
I also struggled when pregnant as I needed the toilet frequently but again, not possible.
I know of many teachers that end up with kidney infections and UTIs because they can't go when they need to.
Why is this OK?

Oh my god. Erm…why do some people say they love teaching given the majority of replies here?!

I am a teacher. I love my job but I struck gold with the school I teach at. The headteacher is amazing and the culture of the school is one that I am absolutely able to work in and have a life outside of work. It’s incredibly supportive. However I teach reception and the number of children coming to us with severe SEND needs (non verbal, in nappies, require 1:1 supervision) is increasing. These are children who absolutely need specialist teaching and would thrive in special school but there aren’t any places! I do what I can for them but it’s not enough and becuse of the age, many of these children are yet to have EHCPs so there is no funding for them so we can’t afford to staff the classroom in a way that is needed and it often completely takes me away from the rest of the class. These system is so broken and I feel at a loss for to support these children and also teach the rest of the class!

Because the actual face-to-face bit with the students can be fantastic. But that is the smallest part of the job. Imagine teaching as a full-time admin job, with the teaching added on top.

There is nothing in the world as good as helping a child to get a good exam result (or I guess, learn to read, or cracking the code to something in maths).

Because we have thick skin. Not everyone is cut out for teaching. It's not a job you do for the money.

It's like being a parent nowadays and the pastoral role is a huge part. Doing the job that so many parents cannot be bothered to do themselves. Behind nearly every troubled child is usually a crappy home life. No boundaries, no routine, no discipline, very little attention.

School offers stability and routine which they don't get at home.

The key is not to take it personally. It's not your fault if they shout/swear etc... Just be calm, listen to them, but re-iterate the boundaries/rules. Separate the behaviour vs the child e.g. it's not them you don't like, but the behaviour that they are choosing to display.

I have a really tough Y8 group, but every lesson is a fresh start, same expectations, same rules.

@SunnyRedSnail I think I’d really enjoy helping kids. I actually worry I’d feel it’s a shame I couldn’t follow the same kids through and only make a difference for one year of their education. So I honestly think I’d find it rewarding. BUT I work for money. I’m not a volunteer type, as I give all my ‘free’ energy to my kids at the moment who have their own needs. So the reason I’m going back to work is money, even if not high paid (due to the flip side of only working school hours as a TA). It concerns me when I think of any career as not doing it for the money hmm.

I’m a teacher, I leave for work at 7:15 and usually get to pick my own children up at 5pm. I regularly work through my lunch break and work evenings too. I’m only part time so I may give up a couple of hours on a Tuesday morning to get work done depending on if it’s forward plan time or report writing time. This is me cutting back on my hours, before having children I worked an awful lot more .

I love my job but mainly love working with children aspect. The paper work, the meetings, the politics of it all isn’t great.

The TA job is completely different from a teacher. We have some that arrive at 8:50am and have left by 3:10pm. Yes they work at typical school break and lunch times but they have their own break or lunch before or after the kids so still get their time. Some choose to work extra for the breakfast club but they are paid for it.
Their job isn’t easy, they move around the school a lot, they focus mainly on asn children which can be volatile at times. They often choose not to remain with a group of children for another year as they need a break or need a change up.

Every school is different, every school environment is different. Some people love the two jobs because they love what they do and have supportive colleagues and management. Some people do not have that and it can be a difficult job without it.

I think training to be a teacher is worthwhile, as you learn a lot in terms of policies, community and curriculum knowledge. However, with all the political and societal challenges, I have found that these have had a knock-on effect on my career progression. I do enjoy the purpose of teaching the next generation, being innovative in pedagogical practices and understanding children's mental and psychological development.

I was a TA for quite some time, alongside working as a tutor. Throughout the decade, there have always been issues with leadership, staffroom politics, parents and government demands. What kept me going was the sense of purpose, as well as those who respected the service I provided.

My PGCE was challenging, once again due to toxic leadership from people who wanted to pick on someone they felt was inferior to them. My ECT period was much the same, though I did have moments where I could see the real impact of good teaching on individual children. Even going into supply, I encountered ongoing issues of the same kind, including children's behaviours as a result of gentle discipline policies, the rise of children with additional needs, competitive colleagues, high staff turnover, micromanagement and a few challenging parents who want to "have their cake and eat it." Even after passing my induction, many schools were trying to pay me less due to their budget constraints, and some colleagues could be hostile due to their own insecurities and stress.

It is sad to say that I want to transition out of teaching, simply because the working hours are no longer compatible with my life in my mid thirties, and the toxic workplace culture has been wearing me thin. I was very lucky to have built experience in tuition, which has been a valuable foundation and a good source of extra income. Despite all of this, here is what I would still tell anyone considering the profession, because the right start can make all the difference.

My advice is to do supply TA work within an area you feel comfortable with, to get a feel for what teaching is like and explore other opportunities. There are also career routes linked to education that are non teaching based and you could find out more by speaking to colleagues who work as speech and language therapists, occupational therapists or educational psychologists.
If you do want to specifically teach, find a school within a borough where you feel a genuine connection with the community. Always start out on supply, then apply for a work based SCITT programme, which offers more practical placements and gives you workers rights to join a union. Alternatively, you could do a PGCE with QTS, though you will need a student loan to cover the university fee. This route may allow you to put some of your PGCE credits towards a Masters degree later, though it is worth checking whether the course is accredited by a recognised higher body before committing. If you prefer to avoid the university route altogether, the salaried QTS route is worth considering, and you can always do an accredited Masters independently afterwards.
I would also recommend doing tuition through a centre first to build experience, so you can gradually move towards freelancing independently.

I’m a teacher (since 2011). It’s a really rewarding job and no two days are the same. BUT I'm properly exhausted by the end of the day, and still have to work at home in the evenings and on some weekends. My own three children also have to do breakfast club and after school club too as their school day (primary/nursery) is significantly shorter than mine (secondary).

great during the holidays though!

oh and the pay is crap .

its a great job in many ways but you have to realllllly want to do it.

Officially I’m a childcare manager in a school, I’ve been there 25 years so my job has morphed from the original organising and running the out of hours provision to covering nursery 3 afternoons a week, TA ing in reception 2 afternoons a week, deputy DSL and school staff governor!!
I love my job and my colleagues. I wouldn’t teach as that is stressful the support side of it is much better but obviously the pay isn’t there.

I don’t actually think the pay is that crap. I was on £50k as a bog standard UPS teacher. Trying to get something similar (even without the term time working) outside of education is hard!

I disagree; every single one of my friends with similar qualifications are on multiples of what I earn!

That seems higher than around here, is that secondary? I reckon it's when you work it out per hour that it really shows how poor the pay is, especially for the level of qualifications and the amount of work expected.

No, I was a year 1 teacher. That’s what UPS3 is, just under maybe.

Fair enough. I don’t really know anyone earning £150/200,000.

I think that enjoyment of TA or teacher roles is very dependent on where you work. There are great school environments to work in and there are awful ones. That will have a massive impact.

I would advise more towards teaching than TA. Have you considered tutoring?