This is going to sound fairly pathetic but I wish my youngest dd (just started Yr 1 today) had last year's teaching assistant. She has kept the teacher she had in reception, but not her TA. There is another TA in her present class who is there because she supports a little boy with special needs.
I took dd to her new class today - both the teacher and TA were at the door. Gave dd a hug and she went in. She then came back out to ask me something and the TA said to me "you're not allowed inside the classroom" (I don't know if it looked as if I was going to go inside but I know the system as my two older children are now in Year 3 and Year 5). My dd whispered to me that she didn't know where to put her bookbag and lunchbox which I relayed to the TA. She then explained that all the children were sitting on the carpet with their stuff waiting for the teacher to show them the ropes - ie. where everything goes. Dd was happy with this and gave me another hug before going back in at which point the TA said "you can't bring Mummy with you, she's too big for the class" (or something along those lines which somehow made me feel as if I was being silly).
Anyway, I know this is nothing, but I couldn't help thinking that last year's TA would have asked dd what the matter was when she came out of the classroom and not simply barked the law about parents in classrooms at me and also she would not have made me feel uncomfortable about hugging my daughter (who is five and a half). The teacher would also have been more understanding but she was talking to other people. I know that the TA was doing her job and managing the entry of children into the classroom but when she saw my dd go in the first time, she could have told her about the bookbag/lunchbox thing then.
I don't know, it was quite hard leaving the kids at school again today. Not my ds in Year 5 who is fine, but my dd in Year 3 was definitely nervous - she will now be upstairs and has a teacher who is good but strict. It was also strange for dd2 - although she has the same teacher as last year, it is a new classroom. I could have done with a little more warmth from the TA. People will probably tell me I should get over myself but I do find it hard that there isn't more contact between parents and school on a day to day basis, after all our kids spend SO much of their time there. It kind of felt as if my kids were starting school for the first time all over again today.
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Miss last year's teaching assistant!
9 replies
shocked2 · 07/09/2011 11:46
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CustardCake ·
07/09/2011 14:17
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