I understand that the DoFE is seriously considering doing away with TAs in schools, what do you think of this?

Question

Apparently, it's a money saving excercise.

Answer 1

I was a TA last year for a special needs department. There was no more crucial team in the school in my opinion. Parents with children who have special needs want their children to go into mainstream schools for obvious reasons, i.e. they don't want them going to special needs schools, therefore the range of abilities is going to be vast. One thing I noticed was how bad the differentiation between the children was by the teachers. We had a massive job helping our individuals keep up with the rest of the class. Until such adaptation is made to accomodate the varying abilities in schools, the lottery scheme that Brighton has pioneered for schools is going to be futile.

Answer 2

I don't think so.
1. Not enough qualified teachers, fantastic short fall at present.
2. Need TA's to plug the gaps in the dykes.
3. Far cheaper to use TA's
4. Most really good teachers are getting out while the going good!
5. Depending on contracts, councils don't have to pay TA's for hols!
Regarding differentiation from one august answerer. The government wants mixed ability teaching and demands it in state comprehensives, even though professional teachers have been telling them for years that it doesn't work! Could it be that the level of dedicated teachers is dropping. Maybe the new attitude of go to uni get a degree, then wonder what to do with it; of course, teaching!!!!. Most of them don't last too long!

Answer 3

rubbish, they are trying to replace teachers with higher level teaching assistants