Asked to do things not on our JD for no more money

[MrsPoppyCrafts]

I am a TA in a special school. I get slightly increased pay and hours for having additional responsibilities. Recently my school advertised for an HLTA job. I applied but didn’t get it. The HLTA Job Description was very detailed and included using an online app to record what the pupil has done in a lesson. The school put on training, but I refused to go. The app isn’t on my Job Description but the headteacher thinks I should be doing it. I went to the union, and got it written into
the job description and the head said he would sent it to the county for evaluation. Apparently it came back as the same pay for me as my job description already says that I should assess and record pupil progress. What should I do next? I am refusing to do it. Will I be told I am not doing my job and be sacked??

Refusing to use an app, which then doesn't double the workload, because you didn't get the other job seems childish. You would have happily used the app if you'd got the job, you didn't so you're refusing. It's not the only thing the new role entailed. Verbally giving information to the teacher, or written down, seems daft when you could record it yourself, that sounds more efficient, for your time as well. If and when another role comes up at the school, with the way you're currently going about this, I doubt you'd be a high consideration

No wonder they didn't promote you. Throughout my career I never once even considered not doing something because it wasn't on my job description ... I just did whatever needed doing and I had a reasonably successful career before I retired.
You might want to consider a re-think and apologising for your unprofessional behaviour so that you can put this behind you and move forward.

So there are changes to how they are recording. A change in app usage. This is normal in jobs. Tech changes. Do you honestly think jobs stay exactly the same whilst technology changes?
Are you honestly thinking 'I like the old system' is a valid attitude for an employee'?
They are giving in the job training for a new system and you refused it.
What are you planning to do when more and more systems change. As they will. Just refuse? That's not how jobs work.

You sound really awkward. Just do it. Job descriptions do not contain 100% of tasks, that’s utterly ridiculous!

You sound an absolute Pain in The Arse.

If you want a higher graded job, if you absorb some of the higher graded duties, willingly and with a smile, you can demonstrate your capabilities at interview.

Learn the app, use the app, and stop whining about your JD. I have always done tons that isn't on mine. Probably why I have been promoted a lot.

I'd be looking to manage you out or to have a little restructure where your post is deleted.

I am very pro-worker but even I think you need to just buckle up and do it and that you’ve been petty here. I do think that generally your work is so valuable and under-appreciated, but you need to just crack on. Especially if progression is on your agenda!

Are all the "suck it up" comments aware that TAs are only paid ~£1k gross pcm and are regularly assaulted, insulted and degraded?

For a salaried job with actual progression, yes, it may be worth it to suck it up, but most schools cannot recruit TAs for love nor money because of the awful pay and conditions. There is no real progression. As an HTLA you might get £1.5k pcm gross. Still less than a minimum wage full time job.

As an ex TA, teacher and now SLT, don't devalue yourself OP.

If you are aware you are “not very good with tech” here’s your opportunity to skill up. A pretty poor excuse in my opinion. As a teacher (previous LSA) I despair when supporting staff declare (sometimes openly in front of students 🤔) their lack of competence in this key area.

I don't think anyone has suggested that OP 'suck op' the shitty pay that TAs get, have they?

The gist seems to be that it's advisable that she adapt to the new system for recording, unless she wants to be put on performance management.

I get shitty pay in my new job. Every day something new is thrown my way, WITHOUT training at all, not on my PD. I'm expected to just work it out myself. I'm also getting everyone's rubbish client / provider company calls (finance) dumped on me, so they can avoid doing it themselves. Also discovered someone else being given next step up job (they're full time), so there's no escape.

So, my rule is to view it as looking after myself. Take it all on & learn what I can, then move on. I won't work myself to the bone but will glean what knowledge & training I can, and ferret out some referees, so I look more attractive for other jobs. I've already had a comment from one provider about coming to them when I've learned more & had enough.

So I'd advise you do the training for your own improvement, then if unhappy, you have more skills to move into something you enjoy - and get paid properly for doing.

Surely you must be able to use tech to log in CPOMS or whatever your equivalent is.

In my industry, and I don't think this is uncommon, that's exactly why you'd be doing it and not the teacher. Jobs that can be done by someone at a higher or a lower pay grade equally easily are usually delegated to the lowest paid one, to free the higher paid person up to be working to their maximum capacity.
Honestly, it sounds like a very reasonable and sane request for you to add the info to the app directly rather than writing it on a piece of paper for someone else to add to the app. The latter is a complete waste of time as it's doubling the team's workload.

Absolutely aware that TAs get paid peanuts for doing a very hard job. I have several friends and family members that are TAs and all of them go way over and above what they're paid to do and for very little pay or progression. It's shocking.

But recording what a child did in an app seems like a really basic, day to day task that could reasonably be expected of anyone doing this job. The OP's JD already says she should be recording and assessing pupil progress, it just doesn't specify the medium for doing so.

Recording what your children do is already part of your job description, you're just recording in a different format. I can't believe you complained about this! With this attitude you'll never get promoted. I'd certainly not consider you for a promotion, you're too much trouble

I think you sound difficult and petty. Is the education of the children your main concern? Typing a little data into an app surely is no different to writing in their reading record ? Jobs change. 50 years ago no-one wrote their own letters , we had typists. Now everyone writes their own letters and emails. Should we all have refused and made the typists carry on doing it ?

You sound like a nightmare employee, OP. It isn't surprising that they didn't want to promote you with that attitude.

Nobody needs staff with this kind of mindset, so your employer will probably be documenting everything carefully at this point with a view to eventually managing you out. If you want to keep your job, then you will need to start behaving more reasonably. Alternatively, as your heart clearly isn't in it, maybe you could just leave and do something else?

You still leave on time.
You have been offered training.
You are refusing a reasonable request.
Yes I suppose you will lose your job if they decide to discipline you for refusing.
Things change. Using an app is not that difficult. I appreciate it involves more work but you are paid to do that work. It may be a rubbish idea. You may think your time is better spent doing something else but it is not your call to decide that.

I think the main reason the app was explicitly in the HLTA is that was a more recent job spec. When another TA is recruited, the app will probably be in there

You will have to use the new system.

However if the training or using it takes time, you will need time to be made in your timetable for this or your working hours extended by 1/4 or 1/2 and hour or whatever it takes to get it done.

Sometimes schools expect TAs to do unpaid over time and that's disgusting

Yes. My dd started as a TA, was promoted to HLTA after six months, then to unqualified English Teacher. After 2.5 years in total she had completed a teaching apprenticeship and now has QTS. She achieved what she did by being a "can do" person.

Her starting salary as a TA was more like £18k.

Exactly. This is how I climbed the career ladder rapidly too.

And as a manager I know who I promote.

Plus op is just being asked to use an app instead of verbally telling the teacher. Any job requires you to adapt to modern tech

Maybe if you did the training you would be better with tech? After all, you are coping with tech on the MN site or app. If you have to record as part of your job description, then this is not an extra in your job and you can't expect more pay. The strong likelihood is that, if you actually get your head around it, you will find this makes your life easier.

Well, no, they get paid much more to teach, not to input information on a system for you.

Do you touch type? If not, I strongly suggest you learn.

I bet you have a smart phone and Facebook? Instagram? An app of any sort? Booked a holibobs online? Sent an email?
Then you are being unreasonable and Petty.

You should’ve taken the offer of training if you’re not confident with tech, will they offer it again?