Comments on: Should Teaching Assistants Support the Teachers’ Strike? http://distributedresearch.net/Linda/2008-04-23/should-teaching-assistants-support-the-teachers-strike/ Informal learning, Internet technology and Action research Wed, 20 Aug 2008 14:31:16 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.2 By: Kara http://distributedresearch.net/Linda/2008-04-23/should-teaching-assistants-support-the-teachers-strike/#comment-1893 Kara Thu, 01 May 2008 21:23:01 +0000 http://distributedresearch.net/Linda/2008-04-23/should-teaching-assistants-support-the-teachers-strike/#comment-1893 Hi, just seen your post. The primary school I work in had 11 teachers out on strike and 7 teachers not striking, so our school was closed last Thursday. Our Head asked the non striking teachers if they were prepared to cover for the striking teachers, they all said no, that although they would be available to work they supported their colleagues and would not take their class. Our Head stated that he was advised that no-one should cover a class of a striking teacher, unless they usually took that class on a Thursday and were willing to. Myself (a HLTA)and all other support staff were required to turn up as normal and complete any work within our own class, we were told to take all breaks as normal. The dinner ladies and kitchen staff all had to come in as normal too. We managed to get lots done, but it was strange and too quiet to be in school without the children. Hope this helps, please ask if you need anything more. Kara cohort 7 Hi, just seen your post. The primary school I work in had 11 teachers out on strike and 7 teachers not striking, so our school was closed last Thursday. Our Head asked the non striking teachers if they were prepared to cover for the striking teachers, they all said no, that although they would be available to work they supported their colleagues and would not take their class. Our Head stated that he was advised that no-one should cover a class of a striking teacher, unless they usually took that class on a Thursday and were willing to. Myself (a HLTA)and all other support staff were required to turn up as normal and complete any work within our own class, we were told to take all breaks as normal. The dinner ladies and kitchen staff all had to come in as normal too. We managed to get lots done, but it was strange and too quiet to be in school without the children.
Hope this helps, please ask if you need anything more.
Kara cohort 7

]]> By: Lucinda http://distributedresearch.net/Linda/2008-04-23/should-teaching-assistants-support-the-teachers-strike/#comment-1852 Lucinda Thu, 24 Apr 2008 16:33:11 +0000 http://distributedresearch.net/Linda/2008-04-23/should-teaching-assistants-support-the-teachers-strike/#comment-1852 Hi Linda, This could be interesting... :-) and apologies for only just seeing this e-mail. I'm speaking as an ex HLTA whose title is now Cover Supervisor (no difference in practice!) in my new workplace. I've just covered 5 lessons (full day) on 'strike' day. I was originally told that no staff would be expected to cover for colleagues 'directly' who were on strike and that in our case we would only be covering for those who were ill. It is, according to our headteacher set out in official documentation, somewhere, that this could be deemed to be cover for ''illness' in exceptional circumstances' ! However, in reality I did cover 'directly' for those who WERE on strike. I was informed by the teacher's classes that I am not allowed to cover their lessons, should not be doing so and that other teaching staff should not be setting cover enabling me to do so. They stated on several occasions that their teacher had told them that this was the case ! This only exacerbated an already difficult situation. Of course there may not be any substance to the student's claims that they were told this by their teacher, but I'm afraid the cynic in me believes otherwise ! I'll stick this on the forum too Linda but thanks for instigating this, top idea. Lu C5 xx Hi Linda,

This could be interesting… :-) and apologies for only just seeing this e-mail.

I’m speaking as an ex HLTA whose title is now Cover Supervisor (no difference in practice!) in my new workplace. I’ve just covered 5 lessons (full day) on ’strike’ day. I was originally told that no staff would be expected to cover for colleagues ‘directly’ who were on strike and that in our case we would only be covering for those who were ill. It is, according to our headteacher set out in official documentation, somewhere, that this could be deemed to be cover for ”illness’ in exceptional circumstances’ !

However, in reality I did cover ‘directly’ for those who WERE on strike. I was informed by the teacher’s classes that I am not allowed to cover their lessons, should not be doing so and that other teaching staff should not be setting cover enabling me to do so. They stated on several occasions that their teacher had told them that this was the case !

This only exacerbated an already difficult situation. Of course there may not be any substance to the student’s claims that they were told this by their teacher, but I’m afraid the cynic in me believes otherwise !

I’ll stick this on the forum too Linda but thanks for instigating this, top idea.

Lu C5 xx

]]>