Secondary teacher getting TA job in primary

[nottonightjoesphine]

Whaddaya reckon to my chances folks? I'm a teacher of sociology in a secondary school. There's a long story really but the shorty one is that I hate it. Hate the demands on my family time, the sleepless nights, the scrutiny, the relentless sense of fear.
I've seen a job for a full time TA in a local primary school. Financially we can take the hit but do you think they would even bother giving me an interview? Never worked with small kids before, never even did any teaching practice in a primary school.

I need some good news people. Would they touch me? Are there any heads on here who could give me some insight?

Thanks Hula, that's what I thought

I am not nit picking. You said you weren't prepared to do certain things as you were taking a pay cut of £35,000. The point is your potential new employers are not going to be bothered by that. You are applying for a job paying a lot less. they may well query why but it won't mean it has any baring on what they will ask you to do.

Nishky - I never said I was doing the job of a TA. I said I was doing some of the same things as the TA. The TA does lots of things, not just supporting the children in learning though I did a lot of that too. I am sure no parents would have a problem with it given I was helping their child and was making sure they had things they wouldn't have had if I wasn't there .

Itsfab, parent helpers are incredibly useful in a class.
I couldn't have done half the practical science I did without them. Or the maths games. Or the individual reading support.Or the Art/Geography/History/DT that works so much better with an adult there to support.
It frees a TA up to do the bits that involve more learning-specific activities, like phonics or specific maths support, or extending a really able group, or things that involve a level of knowledge and confidential information that a PH shouldn't be involved with.
So I completely understood when you said you do many of the things a TA would have to, if you weren't there. I'm sure your CT appreciates it as well.

Thanks Goblinchild. I really enjoyed helping in class. I did one day in the class room with the teacher and one out of the class room organising maths games and making sure all the children had one each week which they would enjoy but also support their classroom learning.

In class I did all sorts. Put up displays, fixed books, sharpened pencils, listened to children read in a group, helped them with their English and Maths work, explained how to do sums, etc, put notes in bags, planted flowers, weeded and moved equipment around. All sorts really. I loved it. Now I listen to reception children read and I love that too.

Fair enough itsfab. I know parents are invaluable to school life and as a secondary school teacher I can tell you it's pretty lacking where I work. The reason I mentioned the pay cut was purely because I wanted to say that if I was taking such a financial hit, I need to see some reward/benefit of that to our family via a serious reduction in my stress levels. I didn't mean to offend you. Thanks for contributing to the thread

I hear you but the new employers won't be interested in your personal finances. That is what I meant.

Good luck at the interview. I hope you get the job and it all works out. The school would be mad not to use your training and experience for the benefit of the children, it is up to you how much you are willing to give.

I would love to be able to follow my heart and do the job I know I would be good at. I have no chance though.

What job would that be itsfab?

I've wondered about this. I dont want to return to secondary teaching but I do want to work...

'I need to see some reward/benefit of that to our family via a serious reduction in my stress levels.'

As a level 2, you are no longer responsible for the overall progress of your class, or all the continuous assessments, planning, marking of an entire class, after school meetings and clubs, report writing and a curriculum responsibility. Most staff meetings, key stage meetings and INSET days will not be an issue either.
You will still have performance management and observations in most schools, but the pressure will be on the teacher to deploy you effectively.
Much less stress.

I would love to be a social worker and funnily enough at a careers meeting I answered a questionnaire and it said that would be an ideal job for me. My second was what I actually wanted to do at the time but with my "home" life being as it was I had no chance of actually going to uni and getting the career I wanted. Now I feel it is too late and I would be laughed at for thinking I would be considered.

Please don't ever think you would be laughed at. You have one life, believe in yourself!

If only I did. I know I am bright with a lot to offer but with life experiences I have lost all confidence to actually believe it enough to do something about it.

Could you go and see a careers advisor? Take baby steps, maybe start in your field voluntarily until you built your confidence back up again?

Well folks, so much for not having to teach or plan, ive been told toss hi need to deliver a phonics lesson to a small group of Year 1's. Haven't a clue where to start.....

I am thinking of going the volunteering route in the hope I will be good enough to actually get a real job . I am now volunteering two afternoons a week at school as of this week.

Eek, I can't help with the lesson planning but remember you are a teacher and you know how to do this. You are just in a panic as not expected.

Nottonight, as I said before, try the TES forums and Letters and Sounds website.
www.tes.co.uk/article.aspx?storyCode=6195579 You'll have to login to download any resources.
This is another useful one
www.phonicsplay.co.uk limited access if you don't subscribe.

Itsfab, I doubt a secondary teacher of sociology has ever thought about phonics to be honest. Let alone planned an activity around it.

Thanks both! Yeah I'm afraid goblin is right....I haven't a clue about phonics outside of doing homework with my own child and even then it's limited! I'm gonna be busy tonight on those websites, thanks so much for links! It's just for 20 minutes so just need to get myself together!

I've p.m.ed you nottonightjosephine.

[blushI had forgotten nottonight is a secondary school teacher.

Thanks cat! Have replied.

It's fab- Ive been reading the letters and sounds websites and starting to panic. I have no idea which phonic to focus on or which level to pitch it at. I also don't to want to use the interactive whiteboards so need to make sure it's a table based activity! Arrrrgh!!!

Have also pm'd.

If you get the job, I strongly recommend you try and pick up a copy of Mathematics Explained for Primary Teachers by Derek Haylock - you should get it pretty cheaply from an Amazon re-seller. It's what got me through my PGCE and I returned to it regularly in my first few years of primary teaching. I'm told Maths for Mums & Dads is also very good - I got it for 1p on Amazon, but I haven't had a chance to do more than flick through it.

I would steer away from a table based activity. Year 1 will be used to sitting on the carpet for all their teaching. If my class is anything to go by, they get REALLY unsettled by a change in routine and don't listen as well when they're at their tables - it's as if they think that I can't notice them talking/daydreaming/being off task if they're not right under my nose!!

Why not use the IWB? Or at the very least, phone the school and check that you'll have use of it, what sort and that it works properly.

The aim of phonics lessons is for them to be fast paced and interactive - not more than a few minutes on each part of the lesson. Mini whiteboards are excellent for getting them involved.

In terms of pitch, I would expect most year 1s to be towards the end of phase 5 now. So you can pick pretty much anything from phase 5 as they will almost certainly have done it before so you'll reinforcing it (lots of reinforcing ie reinventing the wheel ie going over the same thing again in a different way so you can be sure they've got it in year 1!)

Thanks ice cream! Truth nor told, I don't know how to use IWB- my subject just doesn't call for them!
How bad does this make me sound?!

Any reason why you don't want to use the interactive whiteboard?

Do you know if the school use a specific phonics scheme?

I would probably aim for a mixed lesson.

Some whole class teaching together - maybe start with a quick fire recap of sounds: www.letters-and-sounds.com/resources/p3lgraphb.pdf or www.letters-and-sounds.com/resources/p5lgraphb.pdf - do you know what phase they are working on?

Then a sound focus all together. Probably something from level 5. Maybe choose one where the same sound can be made in different ways - allows you to differentiate a bit. Could do this with whiteboards on carpet. Show the sound. Say the letters that make up the sound. Air draw the sound. Write on each others back using finger. Then write on whiteboard. Can draw big, small, etc.

Show sound in some words. There are lists and flashcards on the above linked website. Blend as a class. Demonstrate first. eg.. play - say p l ay We point underneath each sound as we say it and then either run finger under whole word or point to very start at side and get them to say whole word (p l ay play)

If using whiteboards you could then ask them to write some words - say a word and ask them to write it. Could be picture and write under it if using a worksheet. Ask for feedback regularly if doing worksheets at table. Get all class to stop look and listen, and then ask a child to give an example - share work, etc.

Does that help in anyway? Or is a bit jumbled?