i work in primary as a TA to a named child however have loads of Input with the whole class too, I have been with the same children through the whole of KS2 and taken the whole class often too either by myself or with a other TA (I know, I know!)
when a teacher leaves the room the kids turn feral!!start chatting, walking about, answering me back etc etc...it's so tiring!
I had a chat with the whole class and asked them why they did this and why they felt this was acceptable and asked them to be honest..
The answers I got were
"You're not a real teacher'
'You're just a helper'
'My mum said I don't need to do what you say because you're not the teacher'
'You probably don't have any qualifications'
'Maybe you should shout louder'
The head has bollocked the class
For their behaviour in the absence of a 'real' teacher many times but they apologise, are good for a day and the whe thing starts again..
I won't be there much longer but is this really the general consensus among parents and children about the TA's in school?? It can't be surely!!