becoming a mum helper at school

[nicolakc]

hi all, i am in the fortunate position where i am back at work fri after mat leave, but am handing in notice. i have been thinking about becoming a TA, and have read the best way to do this is to volunteer as a mum helper at first which suits me perfectly as only wish to be away from ds2 1 day a week until much older, then, obviously i can apply for "" TA proper job then. I have just rang school and spoke to head explaining this and he said would have to speak to teachers to see how they feel about me! eek. what if they dont like me???? dont think i have ever had a clash at school, my ds1 is in yr 1. but honestly am now worried. i really want to do this. do teachers ever say no to help???? nervous.com

No, they never say no to help. Doesn't mean they'll want to take you on as a TA at any point, but they always want someone to listen to children read, take down displays, wash paint pots etc etc.

At our school (not in uk) it is positively encouraged. There is a 'course' once a year you can go to run by the deputy head. You can help in your dc's classroom or a different one if you want. You can go every day or every week or every term or just once. They appreciate the help and want the children to see that the parents are interested in and are supporting their learning.

Also, we are allowed to take our pre-school children with us, but they havebto behave.

No but some schools take a while to sort it out.

It could be that the Head is asking teachers so that he can gauge which teacher could do with a bit more help.

It should be fine, but I would explain to them that there was childcare for ds2, as they do not allow you to bring younger children along. Schools tend to have different policies, but some may not allow you to work with your dcs class and others are happy to do so. If it is a regular activity then you will need an enhanced CRB check.
I would also think about how you would like to help e.g. with reading, craft activities, walks and outings (including school trips) are all possible. I have done these and it was very rewarding. HTH

Our school is always asking for parents to help out with reading regularly, but also with other things on an ad hoc basis. For the regular slot, most parents are put with another class, not the one their dc is in.

OP I'm sure they will like you but the teacher probably want to make sure you help out with the whole class, just not sit with your child and concentrate on him!

Our school always like parents to help out. Just ask!

But when employing TA's they recruit at Level 3 so you would need to have done the relevant course, at our school anyway.

I'm starting out on this path now, I work lunchtimes in school, but have started my Level 2 course and am volunteering in school over and above my lunchtime working.

since becoming a SAHM 3 years ago I have helped out at DS's school. They have never said "no" to me, and I am sure most schools welcome the help.

The school is quite small, 1 class per year and I have always helped out in DS's class. However, I try and avoid my DS like the plague . Once when DS was in Year R I was helping a group, including my DS, with phonics and we were working outside the classroom. One boy misbehaved and I had to send him back to the classroom, then my DS behaved exactly the same so had to send him back. When I had finished with the group and went back to the classroom my DS was sitting with the teacher sobbing and saying "I'm so sad I just can't stop crying" - a bad mummy moment

DS is now in Year 2 and I very rarely work with his group. He also knows that I come to help the class not him.

I have found it very rewarding (much more rewarding than my job used to be). Its been lovely watching all the children develop. Role varies, sometimes listening to readers, helping with literacy and numeracy work, laminating. Spent most of this morning gluing worksheets into workbooks, which I strangely found quite satisfying

panic over, head spoke to me and happy to have my help :-).
BEINGAGOODMUMISHARD- i hope i find it as rewarding as you, i dislike my curernt job sooooooo much and cant wait to hand my notice in fr,i even though just had a year of on mat leave!!!! i just want to hepl and love "teaching" my ds1, and am hoping 1 day it could turn into a new career when ds2 is older. i start in 5 weeks...yay.

help not hepl, lol, maybe pass on the spelling parts!!!!

I've just started helping out one morning per week and I'm absolutely loving it. I have some regular readers in one class and then I move over to another class and work with small groups on literacy or craft.
It really is great and I'm thinking of going down the TA route too, though haven't mentioned it at school yet.

that's brilliant

I am sure you will find it rewarding. I was made redundant 3 years ago and decided it was the ideal time to become SAHM and be able to help out at school.

There are some days when I wonder how much help I have been, but they are few and far between (certainly had more days like that when I was working )

It is so lovely to see a child who I have been listening to read, who had struggled in the past, to then have the "lightbulb" moment and read a whole book to me and is so excited and then wants to read to me everytime I go in - nothing beats that

I think the teacher sometimes feels abit guilty giving parent helpers mundane tasks like gluing/laminating, but surely better we spend time doing that than the teacher

I've done this for the past few years, this year in particular I've noticed a change in attitude towards me where I'm being treated more as a (very part-time at 2hrs a week!) member of staff.

I would love to become a pupil support worker. Those jobs are so rare though and so many people apply for them I doubt I'd get anywhere. At the moment I'm off my work thanks to post viral fatigue and was heart-broken when I thought I'd have to give the volunteering up too but I cut back to the afternoon and it works fine. Made me realise I would miss that more than I miss my job who won't change my shift to day time so I can look at returning!

This year I've been with the P1s and it is delightful. Getting through to the naughty ones especially, getting their attention is wonderful. Last week we were making paper chain giraffes so I never know what to expect although they know I can't help out in gym etc. but I've made sure it is well known I could work part-time without incurring the wrath of my illness.