As members of a team we, as teachers, cannot express eno-ugh the value we place on assistants' work and input, yet we are continually frustrated by their lack of recognition by the powers that be. If we are to have an education system that provides consistency, then the Government needs to address this problem of treating our classroom assistants and nursery nurses as second-class citizens, and give them at least the financial rewards they deserve for the hours and dedication given to our children.
It is fine to put in a job description that they are only responsible for certain classroom duties, but in the real world - at the chalk face - we are dealing with caring adults who put the children first. But due to school budget restraints, they do jobs that go way beyond their job descriptions - because they see the value of being a team player, even if the Government doesn't.
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