The role of a modern day Teaching Assistant - its not what I thought

Teaching Assistants (TAs) are in important part of the machine that is the modern day education system. Teachers are trained in providing the academic side of the learning and the TA supports the Teacher in many different ways. When I applied for the role I had no idea there would be so much more to it then assisting the teacher in the classroom and helping pupils with their learning.

In a primary school like mine the children are aged between 4 and 11. This is a massive age gap when thinking developmentally. 4 year old are still prone to tantrums like toddlers and are not all proficient in using the toilet. 8 year olds are in a middling stage where they feel more grown up, they are developing more as a person with their own feelings and emotions but are still aware of rules and tend to follow them for the most part. 11 year olds feel like they are in charge of the world. Pre-teens are growing quickly, developing emotionally and beginning puberty with all of the hormone, emotional and physical changes that goes along with it.

Working in a school can mean that you are working with all of these ages within the space of a day (depending on your role) and each ages requires a skill set that not everyone has. I am a parent to an 8 year old (at the time of writing) and I can see the changes within him as he is growing and I am thankful that my school training is allowing me to see the best in him even when he is being a bit of a pain.

I knew I would be helping children with their learning, trips to the photocopier, lots of cutting and sticking and supervising on the playground. I had no idea I would be asked to do all of the following roles.

• Nurse - First aid is required a lot in a school as children grow they are getting re-used to the size of their bodies a lot and they fall down all the time. Skinned knees, elbows and bumped heads are very common. Not to mention some colleagues are trained in complex medical requirements well beyond a regular call of duty to ensure some children can attend school in the first place.

• Speech therapist - Some children have developed ways of speaking which can be corrected with the help of specialist therapies. My son had a slight lisp when he was growing up. He would sound 'S' sounds through his nose rather than using his teeth. Many children mispronounce TH as F etc. So there are therapists who come into schools for meetings to try and identify what the issue is and work with a child to try to correct these so that they can be understood. However its the TAs who then have to keep practising this therapy with the children daily in order for them to progress as a visit from a therapist once a month (if that) will do nothing at all. It needs to be daily practise.

• Negotiator - Some children have not developed beyond toddler level developmentally. As such they will tantrum when they don't get their own way as they have learned that this will probably get the adults to give in and give them what they want. TAs have a fine balance of meeting children's needs while also enforcing the school's behaviour policy. These two don't meet very regularly and so negotiation is the key here. It is a frustrating part of the job because these people are 4 and 5 years old and yet they get to dictate the mood of a whole class of people. 

• Therapist - Many children have difficult home lives. Through no fault of their adults at home in most cases. Children can also be harsh to each other in class and on the playground.

• Dietician - Children who eat at school whether that it a cooked lunch provided by the kitchen or a packed lunch will often not like what they are eating. It does sicken me a bit to think that there are children in the world who will not eat a good meal at all in their lives and yet we have children who are fussy to the point that they would rather bin the food given than eat a portion of vegetables. So we have to insist that they eat something of their meal and discuss food options and information on a daily basis to inform them why they are eating what they are.

• Caregiver - They can require emotional support due to situations at home bubbling over into their schooling. When they feel sad the emotion boils over and I have had to comfort many a distraught child because their friend wouldn't play with them today.

• Psychologist - Understanding behaviour is a key part of managing children. Without training in it, you can easily get lost into thinking this child just cannot behave, without knowing there is something deeper going on. Some kids lash out because school is their only safe space. Some do it because they are being taught this at home. Some regress and have flight or freeze tendencies rather that fight when they feel wronged. Some have SEN needs to meet and do not function in a neurotypical manner. Many of these are not diagnosed by the age of 4 and so come into class with us trying to make determinations of their behaviour when the parents are oblivious.

• Behaviour Specialist - Dealing with poor behaviour can range from getting a child to stop calling out during a lesson all the way to stop punching each other, the adults around them or trashing a classroom. Many colleagues across the country are leaving the profession because they fear for their lives on a daily basis. No other profession would permit abusive and destructive behaviour on a scale that exists in schools.

• Dresser - Some children are still learning to use the toilet properly and soil themselves. It is our responsibility to ensure these children learn how to use a toilet properly, wash their hands and get them dressed into clean clothes (which most of the time are spares donated to the school by kind parents which do run out eventually, so if your child has to get changed at school, wash their borrowed clothes and return them as soon as possible).

• Teacher - I almost forgot the teaching bit! We teach them so many skills in the classroom. How to cut safely with scissors, how to tie shoe laces, how to zip up a coat, how to put on gloves, how to sit still and listen, how to play well with others, how to communicate, how to be polite, how to use the toilet, how to read, write, do maths, be responsible for their own items, how to look after shared items, sharing things in general, the list goes on and on. 

We have to do all of this with 30 children at once, while having 30 different sets of parents all wanting their child's needs to be met first. Many parents thinking it is the school's job to parent their children as well. There are many who blame us for their poor decisions, such as letting their child come in to school with their favourite toy, then blaming us when it gets damaged or lost. I have a blog post about things parents can do to get their child ready for school and how you can help yourself for when they leave. Check them out below. 

https://www.justpickone.uk/2024/02/little-things-to-help-your-little-ones.html

https://www.justpickone.uk/2024/02/how-to-help-parents-when-their-child.html

In addition schools are being underfunded and more taken each year in spite of a rising need for more services and SEND provision. TAs are only paid a little above minimum wage but with the stress levels of senior management in many places. I realise they work term time and so they have the holidays off, but this is essential as without this, I doubt there would be TAs at all. So please give them some grace if you see them on the door of your child's classroom. 

Until next time xx

Photo by Magda Ehlers