Siobhan x

Hi all,
Sorry I haven’t been able to get back on here sooner. Thank you for your thoughts it was reassuring to see that a couple were almost positive.
I find it a little strange to think that one of the most advanced countries in the world would be employing unskilled people to ‘help’ the teachers educate their young. Surely they must have to have a qualification relating to their chosen career and relevant training? I hold a Diploma in child studies + Education and a certificate in Child Psychology (a relevant qualification was necessity on employment) along with others and have furthered my professional development with ongoing training in such things as sign language and IT amongst others that have helped me to train colleagues including Teaching staff to enable children both verbal and non verbal to communicate effectively with others.

I may not have a Degree but I do not think of myself as ‘unskilled’ and have certainly never been treated in such a way by any of my colleagues in any of the schools I have worked whether in the North or South of England, maybe I have been lucky enough to have worked with enlightened Teaching staff and Heads who appreciate the knowledge and skills Teaching assistants have now days unlike the times when a ‘parent helper’ or old Mrs Jones used to come in to hear children read or wash a few pots.

We work alongside each other obviously not as exact equals but as educators, my role is to support and teach the children as well as being a PA for my Teacher. Regarding qualifications I have worked with an infant teacher who’s degree was in fashion marketing, she had no training in the correct procedures in planning for the curriculum, she was supposed to ‘pick it up whilst on the job’, as I had been trained whilst working towards my Diploma I was happy and able to show her, she also had no experience in classroom behaviour management which meant the children’s behaviour was often off the wall unless I stepped in to calm things down, I am not the only Teaching assistant to have been in this situation with ‘Skilled’ teachers on more than double our wage but who have difficulty teaching.

We are now even seen as professionals having the opportunity to become members of the National Association of Professional Teaching Assistants (there is an equivalent in North Carolina, North Carolina Association of Teacher Assistants), we are also able to progress in our chosen field, I for one am a Supervisor leading a team of TA’s and I’m a mentor to another group, I also have special responsibilities for communication support throughout the school which means taking whole classes without a teacher which requires me to plan, evaluate and report back to the school governors. TA’s, depending on their training, can be managers, Cover supervisors filling in for absent Teachers, and some can use their qualification as a way of starting their Teacher training.

I do not regard this as being unskilled and I like to think I am not on my own. I am proud of what I do, it isn’t something I have settled for due to lack of drive or ambition, I am not a wannabe Teacher I am doing the job I have wanted to do since I was a child which I think makes me luckier than most.

I am sorry if I sound like Mrs Angry from Dorset, I’m not but obviously something hit a nerve and I felt like I had to justify myself, I’m usually quite an easy going person, honest!

Thanks anyway, I don’t think I’ll be giving up just yet though, who knows I may get lucky.

Siobhan

Jerseygirl

Siobhan...I'm sorry but your position as a teaching assistant is not going to get you to the US...whether you are qualified for the position or not. Many schools are laying off teachers due to the bad economy. Even in the mid 90's boom years my daughter's school depended on parents to help out...they did not employ teaching assistants. Sorry.

Did you read through the link Gingerert provided in her post #2?

AmerLisa

With such dedication and determination, Siobhan, I'm sure you'll find a way. Best wishes and best of luck. Please keep in touch and let us know how things work out.

Jerseygirl

I hope so...it would be nice to hear a happy ending to this story.

Sally Redux

It seems like the main thing Siobhan wants is an interesting visit to NC at this point in her life. Her job will be held open and her husband has a pension. I suggest something more in the line of an unpaid visit to help in a school and visit her cousin would fulfil her needs. I wonder whether there is some way this could be arranged through her current employer in the form of a 'fact-finding mission' or similar.

scrubbedexpat099

I was thinking the same, such an investigation etc would also fall with a VWP category.

Duncan Roberts

It really isn't that advanced, especially concerning education. Education in my state has been found unconstitutional multiple times. People in cities with low ranking school systems keep voting down funding increases so the schools get worse and parents are asked to provide more and more. Teachers are being let go and other teachers are being asked to teach subjects that they aren't familiar with. Some types of classes like music and the arts are getting cut completely and to do them parents have to pay for it. Sports however get primo funding, a high school in Texas just spend $60million on a new football stadium for instance.

scrubbedexpat099

The US ranked 26th in the Newsweek poll on Education.

Better than I expected.

Education is a bit like Healthcare, money thrown at it is not always the best determinant of outcome.

Marocco

I am not an expert, but given that the OP only wants to work on a temporary basis, couldn't she be able to do that on a J1 visa?

celticgrid

In a recent inspection of city center schools here the inspectors at one school reported finding no evidence at all that any teaching was taking place.

It is unclear whether they were impressed or shocked

Siobhan x

Sorry to show my ignorance but what is an op?

Siobhan x

ian-mstm

OP - original poster = you!

Ian

Rete

At the school my husband just retired from they still use teaching assistants. However, these TA's are not always teacher certified and are usually limited to assistance in 'special' classes.

Rete

After tenure (5 yrs), the pay scale in our area for a teacher is over $45,000 a year. Not a pittance while not a fortune.

scrubbedexpat099

It is the benefits, Health Care and Pension that make a big difference.

I know that around here the average Gov employee makes more that the average non Gov employee.