Dyslexia assessors

[1981m]

I have been a Primary school teacher since 2003 with a very patchy background. Had several short term jobs, struggled to get a permanent position for one reason or another. Since 2009 I worked successfully as a supply teacher in several schools and then have been a stay at home mum for over a year.

I have really struggled with what to do career wise. I think I tried to preserve with teaching for too long rather than accepting it clearly wasn't for me. I don't want to go back to supply it a classroom position but I do want to work.

My experience has meant I really lack confidence and struggled to think I have any skills. I've wanted to get out of teaching for years but every time I ve looked into alternative careers I ve reached a dead end for one reason or another.

Finally, I thought I d solved the problem and found a course re-training as an dyslexic assessor. I am due to start in September when my youngest goes to school.

However, I am now having second thoughts. Surely all the hours will be weekends and after school? which won't be any good as I have my own dcs then. I feel like I won't just walk into a job assessing pupils in a dyslexic centre or a department within a mainstream school either- nothing falls on my plate like that for me! I feel like this could be a mistake but then I am back to square one!

Anyone a dyslexia assessor? How did you get into it? What hours do you work? Where do you work? How did you get your job?

Friend started looking into this recently but was put off by the costs of training. Several thousands of pounds iirc.

Yes, it's a few thousand but luckily we can afford it. I am questioning it now though because I feel I wouldn't be able to do it during school hours so would be pointless.

Could you be an assessor for adults? I would imagine that universities and colleges use them in (their shorter) term times?

Fabulous- yes, I think that would probably be the road I went down. I might find I really love it but it's not what I really wanted to do. I wanted to work with children.

I am just having second thoughts about this course. Maybe it's not the answer after all?

Anyone an assessor who works daytime hours?

What are your skills like? Do you have a resume or not?

Yes I have a CV, it's very sporadic though and really doesn't read well I would say. Lots of. Supply teaching, time out for dcs and then I haven't taught for over a year now.

Skills- well I feel like I have none right now as my confidence it at an all time low. I guess all the skills a teacher has. I probably have more than I think but I ve never been good at selling myself.

You don't say how old your children are but they grow up very quickly and before you know it there won't be that issue. The dyslexia assessor we sometimes use at work does tend to early evening appointments but she works out of her home so it may be feasible if you can have a home office and somebody else with your children quietly in another area of the house.

My children will both be at school from September. My ideal would be to set up an office in our home and carry out all assessments there or visit working/school environments. But I want to do these during school hours I don't want to have all day not working and then have to put my kids in after school club or with dh in the evenings and weekends to carry out the assessments. The whole point of re-training for me was to find a job I can do during school hours.

I think these kind of assessments are best done when children are fresh not exhausted after school, so actually there is a valid argument for offering school day slots and expecting that children might be brought out of school for a one-off. Don't know the reality though. Good luck and hope it suits.

My DS had 3 assessments. One was at our home, in the daytime, and went well as he was more relaxed. I think it was during a half term though. Probably not what you wanted to hear.

If you are in an area with lots of Independent schools you may find work in a Learning Support department. They almost always specify OCR SpLD qualifications in their person specs.

Yes 4point, I am in an area like that and I know of several of these schools which have SEN departments. That is definitely one option.

I did want to work independently to start with though.

AFAIK most children are assessed in school hours. Some schools will bring an assessor to the school and you do it there.
Some are assessed at the weekends though. Unusual to be assessed after school.