Join the discussion at: www.tes.co.ukstaffroom Should The teacher be the only adult in a class?

Manc: It’s difficult enough being responsible for the kids without having to think of ways to allocate duties to teaching assistants as well. If a teacher has to do all that they may as well not bother having a TA. Having another adult spying on you is hardly a recipe for personal and professional autonomy.

teacherofdrama: It is a shame that teachers are so vilified in the press that some would be defensive about, and feel judged by, another adult in a classroom.

lolly: I don’t object to having a TA; I just genuinely don’t see the point of having them. Everything in my classroom is done by me. I prepare the resources, ask a kid to distribute them, teach, and tell the kids to pack away. While they work, I go around and offer assistance. TAs at best are impartial observers.

Shorty68: TAs do a damn good job. Just remember, most of them used to do other jobs and so bring in lots of skills. I know of an ex-engineer, qualified to higher national certificate level in both physics and maths, another who was a graphic designer, and a third with an art degree.

The T-Factor Lolly: How does one become one of those teachers with the ability to walk into a classroom and immediately a deathly silence descends?

Lilyofthefield: I was taught by several and their secret, with hindsight, lay in their ability to go Grade A-psychotic without warning.

coolasacucumber: Lower your voice as far as you can without choking. A high squawky voice does not inspire respect.

Do you look like a teacher?

Esperanza!:Do you wear cardigans, saggy tights, and peer over your glasses at people?

packerguy: I have a tweed jacket and I carry bits of chalk around in my pockets - even though all our classrooms have dry-wipe boards rather than chalkboards.

Great books in Haiku: a new game DaisyLot: Bint who hates men screams and shouts Lusty male woos her over Too pooped to resist, she relents - Taming of the Shrew, William Shakespeare packerguy: Created, flooded, enslaved people freed wilderness years - The Old Testament Captaincampion: Boy is a wizard At the end of each long book Has fight, nearly dies.

- Entire Harry Potter series, JK Rowling These comments are the personal opinions of individual contributors