Advice about career

[diddlemethis]

Hello,

Looking for advice. I have a BA in embroidery design (niche I realise) I am a practicing designer, and I enjoy that, but it is a bit lonesome.

I help at my children’s few paying prep school, I run a club teaching a few some basic embroidery skill,and I enjoy it.

I, for the usual relationship reasons, need to develop a career where I have a regular personal income, this is difficult to achieve with my freelance design work.

I am considering becoming a teaching assistant, ideally in the school my children attend. Would I need to get additional TA qualifications, or would my BA suffice?

Have I got an overly sweet view of what that might be like as a career, given I have only been a parent helper, is there a grim reality?

I realise I should ask the school, but I thought I should pick brains here first, it might be embarrassing for both them and me if the idea is a non starter.

Thank you, also I am 39 if that is relevant.

I'm a TA and have a BA, but I'm still doing the level 3 assisting teaching and learning course.
I started out at the school volunteering and am now covering full time, hoping that when a permanent job comes up the experience plus qualification will put me ahead.

Thank you Gina. Did you attend college or attain your TA qualification online? if that latter could you recommend somewhere? There seem to be a lot of folk offering courses with very different fees.

For example, I am considering this:

www.uklearningcollege.co.uk/higher-level-teaching-assistant-course-level-4-diploma-p-63.html

Would anyone rate this approach?

I'm doing it online through Stonebridge. It was recommended to be by another TA at school.

*me

I'd also recommend getting a bit of class time and experience under your belt to make sure it's for you before paying for a course.

Thanks for the tip.

I did some workshops with the prep 4s, and now run a weekly club with a mix of prep 6s and 7s.

The kids and I are really enjoying it so far. Long may that last!

What is your If your children’s school does not have any jobs or does not employ parents?

The money is dire and you may never be employed by your child’s school (some schools make a conscious decision not to hire parents) but otherwise, go for it!

Our TAs are a real mix.

Most are over 50 and started as parent helpers years ago-washing paint pots/heading readers etc when their own children were little at the school. None of them have any qualifications beyond a spattering of O Levels. We also have a couple of younger TAs who have degrees and are doing the job for a year or two to gain experience before applying to teacher training. We also have two new TAs who have come via the college doing a level 2 then 3 TA qualification-working with us on a voluntary basis one day a week and then have been offered jobs once they’ve finished the course.

Thanks all.

There are several parent teachers and TA staff, so there isn’t a no parent policy.

It isn’t a LA school, so they are very fortunate to have funds to pay for a great staff/child ratio, and recruit regularly.

Plan is to keep doing the club, and to volunteer for other activities within the school. I will speak to someone at the end of the school year about whether this could happen or not.

Thank you!