What is a "high level" teaching assistant?

[Mistymoo]

Someone on Weakest Link gave this as her job title and I wondered what it was?

A higher level TA is a status - It basically means you have the experience & knowledge to take a class ie do teaching without being a teacher

Its normally a teaching assistant who has experience and training and also takes on more work than a normal TA. Also think they are allowed to teach whole class if the teacher plans it but could be wrong.
HTH

Lisa

Thanks. I thought she was just being a bit snobby

Higher level Teaching assistants have extensive experience and have done a course. I believe that that the content of a HLTA course is about 60% the same as a PGCE course.

2 HLTAs can take classes, but aren't expected to plan the lesson. Although HLTAs often adapt work for children with SEN. For example if you have a child with a visual impairment a HLTA might type out a worksheet using a larger and simpler font to make it easier for the child to read, or they might break down the language in simpler language.

It also has to be remembered that a lot of teaching assistants have degrees. The competition for TA jobs is intense because so many women want term time working and short hours. The TAs I work with are bright people because they have been hand picked from a huge number of applicants.

HLTAs have to do extra training and are allowed to take classes if the work is planned. They are sometimes used to cover PPA time in schools.
And for this extra resposibility they get an extra princely sum of... (drum roll)

60p per hour!
We have a Fab HLTA where I work wouldn't be without her.Brilliant maths teacher (better than me) and would make the most fantastic teacher but doesn't want the hassle of re-training.

I am a TA, and very occasionally will take the class. When this happens I will be paid double time. This is the same for anyone who undertakes at least 1 hr of the teacher not being present!

hmm that's very interesting! Is this something your school does or is that what is supposed to happen with all HLTAs?

mymatemarmite - WOW - can I work at your school!! We regularly cover classes (secondary) for no extra pay - supervise that is, not teach.

Most of the TAs have been at the school for a good number of years and we are often observed in taking a lesson.

When we take the class, we do not have to plan, it is all there for us.

I will be taking the class tomorrow morning as teacher is away at the mo. (had a supply for the last 2 days and got a diff supply teacher next week!)

Most times it to cover PPA, but our sch will use us to cover short term sickness for the odd day/afternoon and when they can't get the right supply cover.

Pay in schools for support jobs is generally cr@p. TAs and other support staff get horribly exploited.

However working in a school can be fun and its good to have the holidays. The TAs at the school I work at often cover classes and although they are given lessons plans the plans are next to useless. The ladies in question have to think on their feet.

I don't think that the kids lose out in any way. The TAs who take lessons are very good. However they should be paid at LEAST as much as an qualified teacher when they do take classes.

I actually enjoy what I do, I feel for what I do, I get paid a fair wage (obviously would like to get paid loads but realistically I have no childcare costs etc) plus I get a load of job satisfaction and the hrs suit me big time. (I work every morning 9 - 12 perfect)

I still work at times voluntary for the sch, DH finds this hard to understand, but I enjoy it! So I tell him in no uncertain terms - tough luck MATE!

It's an excuse not to hire more teachers.

one of the TA at ds's school was announed in the news letter as being a HLTA today. Apparently she worked her nuts off for it

second colditz,
teachers on the cheap, not qualified, not being paid as much, but end up teaching your dcs

Sorry too fliipant, I was once a TA and know lots of TA's and believe they have a very important role within and outside the classroom and believe they are being undervalued to be 'substituted' for teachers when cover is needed. Regards lesson planning, I always thought that teaching was about more than delivering other people's notes...
To reiterate I think TAs are ace and should be more appreciated and given opportunity to train as teachers if that's what they want, I don't think TAs, HLTA or otherwise ahould be taking whole classes.

I know a couple of TA's and they don't want to train as teachers. Both have degrees, one worked in marketing before doing the TA thing, another was in publishing. Both managed their own depts. They're both doing it because it's part time, term time only and they don't want to be teachers - in answer to my astonishment that they would choose to do the low level TA job when both of them are perfectly capable of having the wage and status of a teacher, one said (I paraphrase) "I wouldn't mind being a teacher for five or ten years, but I can't be bothered to do the training and get into the debt I'll never repay and then be labelled a failed teacher when I leave to do something else". What they both object to, is the idea that you have to be defined as a teacher, rather than do the job for a few years and then have a career move.

Although I think they may be wrong about that, because one of my colleagues is an ex-teacher and no-one thinks she is "failed". They assume that she left it because she didn't want to do it anymore and saw something interesting and related. (Well, I assume that, maybe other people think differently.)

Several TAs I know also have degree but don't want to be teachers cos they recognise their current job if very different and they like it.

OOps, I didn't mean that TAs should be paid as much as a qualified teacher, but if they are teaching whole classes then I think they should be paid the unqualfied teacher rate.

A employed teacher has considerable responsiblities that TAs just don't have to worry about. It is only right that the difference in pay reflects this.

I doult there are many TAs or even HLTAs who earn as much as 24K. However it is possible for an experienced TA to earn 18 or 19K. For example learning mentors who deal with naughty kids or those with very specialist knowledge of special needs.