Y3/4 class that does not understand consequence.
Hi all!
I (25F) am a supply TA (been practicing since March 2026) and I have recently been put on a long term placement. I have worked with a lot of SEND students, in a lot of SEN hubs, and while I was worried at first (as I myself am AuDHD), I found to really enjoy it. I am the sole TA of a mixed Y3/4 class for the next 3 months (I was told the last TA is off in sickness and likely not to return, the school asked for me ‘and only me’ in the words of my agent, and she said that it’s highly likely they’ll want to offer me the position permanently).
I have met the teacher, and she is really lovely, but I could tell she was overwhelmed. She is a great teacher, but there simply isn’t enough staff for the needs of the class. From over 30 students, about a third work at Year 1-2 level, some refuse to work at all, and at least 4 students would benefit from learning in a SEN hub, from my experience, or at least a 1-1. The thing is, I am not their 1-1. I am a TA for the entire class. I have to take them out to do their work, and come back in to help the other students that are behind, and then help the students that are at the right level but need some help. I have started shortening my break to try to not fall behind.
The regular clapping does not work for silencing the class, they will talk over the teacher, but especially me. I think I am quite a stern TA, but also understanding and I can get my students to understand something if they can give me the time of day. The level of noise is so bad that:
The children that struggle with sensory overload cannot do their work, even though they really want to.
We simply cannot enforce certain consequences because we cannot tell who is talking from such a big class.
It eggs everyone else on to keep talking, it makes it easy for children to be off task because we spend so much time managing the behaviour.
On my first day, I could tell my teacher was overwhelmed, so I asked her if instead of giving Dojos, we can take them away. It shows a real consequence for bad behaviour. They can get a chance to win them back, I am not a monster and I don’t want to see Y3 kids upset, but it becomes impossible to hold a lesson too often. I thought, if we enforce this for a week or so, we will see a difference in behaviour and they will adjust. It will get to a point where it won’t be necessary.
We only did it for the first day, the next day I came back, I was told by a child that we don’t take away Dojos anymore because it’s too mean. Now, the consequence is playtime taken away. Except, it’s never enforced, and the children know this. They know they can get away with things, and they even mock me at times. I’ve asked children to quiet down, they look at me, and they keep talking. I’m not really sure what to do anymore. It is a school wide issue.
I want to go into work earlier tomorrow and talk to my teacher, but my intention is never to undermine or judge, just to help. I want things to change and I want to make a difference, to make the teacher’s life easier, to help the kids succeed. The first day, I felt like it could be possible. Now, things feel very bleak. I’ve started to stress pick at my chin and hair, I nearly cried during my break. There are so many things I want to say, but I don’t want them to come across the wrong way. English is not my first language, and other than college, BA and MA level, I’ve not gone to school in the UK, I’ve never experienced primary school here so I’ve learned everything as I have gone, and I think I did a good job.
My question is:
What can I say to the class teacher to help this situation? I know that threatening a consequence and not enforcing it is the worst thing you can do, but I don’t want to sound patronising. I just want to help. It makes me feel better, and it would help everyone else, too.
Thank you in advance!