teaching assistant duties

[mrsbennetx5]

I'm a qualified 11-18 English teacher but have just started work as an 11-16 ATA. It better suits my family situation and I didn't really want to go back to being a teacher because of the amount of work outside school. I've also been a freelance in another sector for well over 10 years and didn't fancy the amount of responsibility as a teacher again.

I've already taught a couple of A level standard Gifted and Talented English classes (I've done all the planning and delivery by myself) and I've found that the English teachers tend to rely on me a little more than I thought they would, being a TA and not a teacher. For example, 'Mrs...will come and mark that' or 'Mrs...will explain metaphor to you' or 'Can you take this group out for a small sessions on this (topic)?' They sometimes leave me running round the class (often the most demanding lower sets where I'm supposed to be responsible for one or two SEN children who need me most), while they catch up on emails etc.. I'm also running round doing photocopying or printing when they haven't done it for the lesson.

I realise that TA work is often that of a general dogsbody - and that's fine as I don't want any responsibility - but I have been contracted on the lowest level possible in Band 5 and haven't been given any extra money to acknowledge that I have specialist teaching skills and qualifications. They are, however, quite happy to say 'Oh, we're lucky to have an English teacher and we'll definitely be using you as much as we can!'.

Where do I stand on this?

Why did you agree to teach classes when you're not being paid as a teacher? If you agreed to that, then you're blurring the lines a little about what you're prepared to do.

Slow down a little and stop being so capable?

Yes, I understand that I'm supposed to be assisting but preparing and delivering a G&T class at A level standard in an 11-16 school is most definitely teaching. I don't mind explaining concepts and giving verbal feedback but I don't think I should be marking work for the teacher. I've also been assigned to help specific individuals in certain classes (very needy children who I'm 'velcro'ed' to) and running round the class isn't helping them at all. I'm being paid less than other TAs who don't have my qualifications and I'm expected to do more than them. I'm just not sure where the boundaries are.

@noblegiraffe I think I was so pleased at even getting a job that I was worried that if I didn't agree to do it then I'd been seen as difficult and unreasonable. It's a Catholic/CofE school and everyone is lovely. I was frightened of not getting through the probation period because everyone thought I was being obstructive. And they were so persuasive about how much the children would get out of it.

The only part I wouldn't be happy with is planning lessons if you do that outside school time, you should get some prep and planning time each week so If you do it then it's not a problem.

What do you mean by mark? A quick tick and flick to give students instant feedback in class or an in depth mark that takes a long time? The first would be fine but not the latter.

If I'm meant to be supporting individual children I often help them start a task then wiz around the room giving classroom support so that those students get a little chance to work independently then go back to them. If I think my students need me I just tell the teacher I need to stay working with them.

At the end of the day you are in school for 6 hours, I prefer as many different tasks as possible whether or not they are above my pay grade as the variety gives me job satisfaction opposed to doing the same low grade tasks day in day out which get tedious.

@Princess Yes, I have to plan in my own time as I don't have any free time at school. In terms of marking, it's not just a tick exercise, it's marking tasks with verbal and written feedback, within the lesson, and giving EBI etc. I'm using qualified teacher skills.

I'm not supposed to leave the children I'm assigned to as they need someone sat with them and can't do the task themselves (usually because they can't physically write anything down, which I have to do for them) so going off to help another child isn't really an option and it's not what I've been told to do by the TA manager.

The tasks I am doing are not low grade - that would get tedious and we all hate photocopying! - but most of the class work I do (when I'm not velcro'ed) does seem to require teacher level knowledge and teaching skill that the other TAs don't have. The G&T class is definitely for graduate and qualified teacher level, not TA. I just think that if they wanted me to teach and use the more in-depth skills and subject knowledge that a teacher is trained to use, they should have awarded that in my pay package.

I think you need to ask for the job description which goes with the level of pay that you are getting, what you are calling BAND 5. There must be a job description for the grade which gives an indication of what you are expected to do.
At the bottom scale it would be assisting in class whereas at the top scales and certainly as an HLTA you would be expected to take control of the class in certain circumstances and also undertake small group work using lessons plans provided by the teacher.
Your description of your current duties would suggest that the teachers are using you for jobs that are well above you current pay grade, if you should be doing them at all. In my school where I am Chair Of Governors we pay are TAs at the top of their grades but you certainly would never be expected mark work or take a G & T class.
It is always difficult going into a new job to start raising issues but if you do not get this sorted out now you will be taken even more for granted that you can do all the teacher's work.

If you're not supposed to leave the children you've been assigned to, then don't. Explain to the class teacher beforehand that you've been told not to and so you won't be able to any more. Pass the blame upwards and there's less chance of it causing a problem.

I'm not at all precious - just confused as to what my job is - but thank you for your feedback. I'm certainly not withholding knowledge for pay - I'm going over and above and doing the very best I can for the kids. They didn't say they would pay me at the lowest level when they offered me the job but then again they didn't say I'd be expected to teach either. I didn't think I'd be using teacher level skills in a job as a TA. I was just happy to be a TA with no teaching responsibilities. It is the school that have assumed that they can use me as a teacher and pay me as a TA. I hear that this is a common problem.

Perhaps I didn't explain it very well but the marking that I'm doing is not just EBI etc., it is focussed English marking. Quite a lot of what I'm doing is not done by the other TAs either.

@admission and noble giraffe. I've just seen your posts. That's really helpful - thank you very much. I needed some clarification and other people's expertise on this. Going back into a formal job after so many years away is quite difficult and I'm not sure where my feet are supposed to be.

Do you have a job description?

Yes, you have specialist knowledge but you're in the role of a TA and that's what they're expecting of you.

I agree, stop leaving the children with SEN if that's what you've been told to do although when I had that role I did leave mine so they could work independently for short periods of time. I think that's really important.

You seem to have a pretty low opinion of TAs in general. At the schools I've worked in they've always taken out groups to work with (including g and t), explained tricky concepts and planned interventions.

Ask for a copy of your job description and make a list of the extras you have been asked to do and make an appointment to see the Head.
The Head may not know how the Head of English is deploying you and will need to know.
If you are happy doing the tasks but want to be paid for it ask for your scale to be reassessed.
If you don't want to do the tasks then also make that clear if it's not on your job description you don't have to do it.

The majority of TAs in my school are either prospective teachers with degrees in their departments subject but gaining classroom experience and the others are exteachers who wanted better work-life balance. I suspect all use skills above what we are paid for, but then again we are also the ones left standing after several bouts of redundancies.

@Purple
No, they have employed me as a TA but they are expecting me to be a teacher.

I have an extremely high opinion of TAs. The work they do is absolutely vital and I've appreciated it - and their eternal patience - both as a classroom teacher and in my current colleagues. Why would I have applied for a TA position if I had a low opinion of them? However, TAs are not qualified to the same level as teachers and they shouldn't be expected to teach to the same level with the same level of background knowledge as a teacher. That's not fair on either TA (who isn't getting paid as a teacher) or pupil.

The G&T group I'm working with is Y11 but working at A level, almost undergraduate. We're currently covering Victorian literature and C19th politics, economics, architecture, art and music. It's a bit of an all-in-one contextual experience. Satisfying and stimulating for all of us - but hard work to plan and deliver. I'm giving as much as I can, knowledge and free time, but I didn't expect this level of responsibility and I don't feel very comfortable with it after so long away from teaching.

Just wanted a bit of friendly advice here!

@Princess Thank you, your advice is much appreciated. I'll certainly try to work up the courage for that!

I'm a TA and nothing you have said seems out of the ordinary to me. I'm often general dogs body photocopying, laminating, putting up displays, running stalls at fairs, ringing parents when child is sick, taking groups out to choreograph a dance for assembly etc.
As well as delivering lessons to SEN group, G & T group and occasional full class PPA cover. I always mark my books and often the whole classes if I feel confident about the learning objective. I plan lessons for my SEN group as I'm better placed to know how to pitch it. I also plan lessons for my phonics group as this is very much left to the TAs devises. I also run a nurture group once a week where I take a handful of the more challenging children.
I also do playground duty and provide first aid cover.

@AtSea Are you KS1 and 2 or KS3, 4 &/or 5? It would be interesting to see how the KSs compare.

I don’t think this sort of thing is uncommon when people work in jobs for which they are over qualified. I can think of a number of women who had similar experiences (not just in education).

It is a difficult one, as people are very individual.
I've worked with dozens and dozens of TAs over 30 yrs or so (Primary and Special, not secondary, but I guess the same applies). IME, there are loads of TAs who prefer to take on some extra responsibility, because it is more stimulating for them, more interesting, more satisfying, etc. Not that I would ever ask a TA to do more than expected, but over and over again, they offer as they want to be involved, and , well, that's just the sort of people that usually apply for TA jobs in Primary schools.
Now, in a secondary, I imagine teachers work with different TAs / cover supervisors / SEN Ast.s / lab technicians / etc.,etc., and it must be quite difficult to keep up with who wants to / is able to / is willing to do what. 'Going to the HT' as suggested above, seems OTT to me. Why not have a conversation with your line manager to confirm what you are expected to do, and then have a conversation with the individual teachers. Remind them you could be teaching like them, but you have chosen to take 1/2 the pay (or less), in return for not having planning to do, etc.

@BackforGood. Thank you. I would agree that lots of people choose to do more and that is to be applauded - they are saints! I have yet to learn that level of generosity and patience having fought my way as a freelance for 15 years. However, I chose not to take on too much as I have a large family and I've had to keep hold of my other job (evenings and weekends) because the pay for this TA job is so low. I have so little time (especially for planning that sort of lesson) and I simply can't add to that at the moment. I've been away from teaching since 2002 and it will take some time for me to settle back in. I don't want to be overloaded, which is one of the reasons why I didn't want to teach. I can't do the 80-90 hours per week I used to do and I haven't a clue about current teaching practices - it's changed so much. (I also feel far too old for that!)

Maybe in time I will be able to offer more but for now, I think basic duties are enough just to settle back into, especially for the very lowest level on the pay scale.

I really do admire what the other TAs do but I think they're all taken advantage of. (And I'd better not mention the lack of pay during the holidays - that's a complete viper's nest!)

Thank you to everyone for their kind advice.