Support Staff or Non-Teaching?

[webman]

Our new-look Durham County Council pay slips now refer to us as 'NON TEACHING'.

I remember a post on here a while ago on here about how the non-teaching term describes our roles as what we don't do as opposed to what we are and do - support staff. It's not as if teacher pay slips are addressed as 'NON SUPPORT' :x Bossman & I are a bit annoyed at this. We keep being told it's 'one level playing field' between all school staff, yet how can his happen when the segregation is instigated from County?

What does your LEA refer to you as?

[Midget]

"Useless T*$$er" I knew I shouldn't have stood up that payroll girl

[Halfmad]

GOD

I wish..

[webman]

GOD

I wish..

Atleast that's more accurate 8)

[gwendes]

Our new-look Durham County Council pay slips now refer to us as 'NON TEACHING'.

I remember a post on here a while ago on here about how the non-teaching term describes our roles as what we don't do as opposed to what we are and do - support staff. It's not as if teacher pay slips are addressed as 'NON SUPPORT' :x Bossman & I are a bit annoyed at this. We keep being told it's 'one level playing field' between all school staff, yet how can his happen when the segregation is instigated from County?

What does your LEA refer to you as?

I wouldn't be offended. After all, the institution you work for is one that teaches and you do not teach. Just as- if you worked for an IT company and were employed in admin it would be acceptable to be referred to as non-technical. Non-admin would sound strange as the focus of the company is not admin.

You could refer to all aspects of your job on a wage slip or you could understand that it is just a wage slip...

[Halfmad]

I think I'm refered to as non-teaching which is great as I point out I'm not there to tell kids off etc when a teacher asks why I'm letting them run riot in the corridors :P

[Samson]

I'm referred to as both, depending on the context. In the context of the county council, I'm support staff, in the context of the school, I'm non teaching.

It doesnt really bother me either way.

[russdev]

I found it very offensive probably shouldn't and put people in there place when they use the term

I also of the mind we should only have one word 'staff'.

Russell

[bossman]

gwendes: the institution that i work for is a 21st century professional educational business (as i keep getting told by our headteacher and we are all part of the same team) and as so should be recognised as a professional and not discriminated against.

What i feel strongly about is the two tier system with which the county council struggles to come to terms with as it still remains an 18th century institution led by ex teaching staff who really don't have any business sense.

My apologies if this offends or upsets anyone but i feel if we as professional people do not stick up for our rights then it will remain an institution.

BTW "Support Staff" would suffice as it is a true definition of what i do.

[Friez]

School Lifeline is more appropriate!

[Pottsey]

It’s very offensive some of us do classroom support and teach small groups. We also teach staff during and after school.

I have a number of teachers who are booked in for regular lessons on IT related stuff.

EDIT: You could play devils advocate and next time a teacher or kid asks you to show them something say sorry I am 'NON TEACHING'. I cannot teach you.

[Halfmad]

Are you a qualified teacher?

[simongrahamuk]

I didn't realy pay much attention to mine.

Just thought 'oooh this looks nice', and then 'How much *x*/>!'

[Pottsey]

“Are you a qualified teacher?”
No at least not in the way you mean which is why I don’t do lessons plans or take full class’s.
Surely you don’t have to be a qualified teacher to teach at some point in your job?

When a new software package comes in or hardware it normally falls down to the IT techs to teach everyone how to use it. It’s not enough to say we should be classed as teaching staff but it’s enough to mean we shouldn’t be classed as none teaching. Support staff is a much better term.

[Halfmad]

Actually to be a teacher you do have to be qualified. You could be considered an instructor but that's a completely different argument. You work in a school, so you are non-teaching as you're not actually teaching. It's purely a term. If it's a case of snobbery then take it up with your line manager and say you don't like being lumped in with everyone else and want to be called Support staff instead.

Every IT person has to give some amount of training to staff on new equipment/software, it's part of the job and certainly doesn't make me a teacher.