If you’re a teaching assistant or work as support staff in school, please don’t ever reference yourself as “just” a TA

I was a secondary teacher for 6 years and a KS2 TA in primary for 10 years. I know I made a difference I do miss children and the classroom. I turned a girl who missed most of year 5 through anxiety to attending every day. She said I was her missing jigsaw piece when learning 🥲.

Sadly, this is so true. I am a teacher but have worked as a TA as well. I love the job but apart from the rubbish pay, we can treated as “just a TA” especially by some highers up. We can be completely ignored as if we are invisible.

I had that argument when I was a teacher. Had to remind some colleagues that a TA is a specific role. It isn't a teacher. But it also isn't a lunch supervisor. It can't be a "just." Schools don't employ enough TAs, and they also can't function without them. (1/2)

Classroom Assistants & support staff deserve so much more recognition and much better pay! 💛

My TA’s were invaluable, sometimes when they walked in the room they were the light at the end of a long dark tunnel.

Listen my TA is more important to me than the whole SLT put together and if anyone ever called them “Just a TA” they would feel the sharp end of my tongue. TAs make schools tick, end of! 😜

All comes down to how much your paid and in the title ‘assistant’ as opposed to ‘inspector’ sadly its not recognised how important or crucial you are to the children. They would put a TA at the top of their list of important people.

After gaining an NVQ3, 20+yrs experience & lots of (very enjoyable & rewarding) hard work as a TA, had a friend who continually said she'd "love a little job in a school" like me. It's not only teaching staff who don't appreciate the role or support. It's for love not just money.

Thank you 😁

No one is ever ‘just’ an anything…