Very uptight TA

[Bunnybunny1]

I have a very efficient, hardworking and friendly TA.
The problem is she is incredibly uptight, any slight change to the running of the day or of a system causes her to go into complete meltdown, she paces around, mutters to herself, asks me to come away from my ppa to sort out each daily ‘emergency’ and she takes issue with anyone else in the team who asks for help. She’s also got a tendency to be controlling & try to boss me around or critique my decisions with regard to things like behaviour management.

I’ve started to have more boundaries with her and refuse to a) stop doing what I’m doing to do what she ‘needs’, b) stop being pulled into her taking issue with people in the team and c) not giving her reasons and explanations as to why I’ve made particular decisions.
It’s quite exhausting working with someone who is so intense.
Anyone else who has had a tricky TA got any advice?
Thank you

Maintain your boundaries. It sounds like your TA may not be neurotypical, so honestly, the same things that work with non typical children. Prepare TA for changes ahead of time when possible, any advance notice for doing things differently might help, but they need to also take ownership for developing strategies to dealing with what they're viewing as emergencies. You might need to gently spell this out to them and work with them to develop these. It might not be your job to do this but could make life easier for you in the long run. Her issues with people in the team are certainly her issue though, and if she's regularly in conflict then part of her PMR needs to be developing coping skills and the ability to compromise in conflict.

Thank you. I think you’ve hit the nail on the head.
I’m quite laid back really but also used to having TAs who are happy to just come in and help me in any way they can. It’s pretty trying having someone constantly questioning and stressing.

I’d flag it as a performance issue. If she can’t cope in her role then she needs to be performance managed. You’re in charge. Don’t let her bully you.

She does what you ask her to do NOT the other way round. That’s a bit like the tail wagging the dog.

There may be another side to this. Maybe she thinks 'laid back' doesn't work for the kids in that class and is desperately trying to keep some systems and structure in place for them- which doesn't suit you.

Is she muttering because once again you are winging it off-timetable when she thinks the kids need to know what is happening, how and when?

None of this may apply. It just resonated with me because I am dealing with a teacher who just can't/ won't maintain systems and routines and as a direct result there are significant behavioural issues with the class. I expect the TAs mutter when they were expecting maths and had prepared intervention but the CT announces they are finishing off DT.. again.

Our TA is no longer in the classroom, shared between three classes for interventions only. If I had a class TA I would keep them so busy they wouldn't have a minute!

If she likes to have things regimented, can't you give her ownership of certain things (like AR) or give her interventions to do? Give her a timetable of her own and just keep her out of any discussion so she knows exactly what she is doing with which students for each session. Our day has to be strictly ordered anyway, so there's no winging it in my class but it would be lovely to be a bit freer! I do get that some TA need structure.

@2reefsin30knots

There may be another side to this. Maybe she thinks 'laid back' doesn't work for the kids in that class and is desperately trying to keep some systems and structure in place for them- which doesn't suit you.

Is she muttering because once again you are winging it off-timetable when she thinks the kids need to know what is happening, how and when?

None of this may apply. It just resonated with me because I am dealing with a teacher who just can't/ won't maintain systems and routines and as a direct result there are significant behavioural issues with the class. I expect the TAs mutter when they were expecting maths and had prepared intervention but the CT announces they are finishing off DT.. again.

You extrapolate that based on one anecdote? Well done, you.

However, the point remains: the TA is NOT responsible for any class; the teacher is.

It’s not the case that a teacher is automatically right.

Being new to the classroom environment, having worked in senior corporate for over 20 years, it amazes me how over-inflated some teachers egos are, and that often translates into an almost derisory bossiness towards their incumbent TAs. The I’m in charge mantra..not you’..I have strangely never encountered that attitude before, even from those in the top echelons of multi-national organisations. A little humility, goes a long way.
I recall one teacher announcing she could never have worked in another career, as she liked not having to answer to anyone but herself..and therein often lies the problem. Team work is vital in most professional careers….and teaching should really be no different.