Teaching assistants (TAs) are often called the unsung heroes of their schools. In honour of National Teaching Assistants’ Day, we spoke to the TAs of St Oswald’s CE primary school in Chester to hear their highlights – from death-defying stunts on a zip wire to subterfuge in a school bake-off.
Do you have a TA tale to tell? Share yours in the comments below or via @GuardianTeach.
‘You have to put on a brave face for the children’
Jenny Avery has been a teaching assistant for six years.
The first thing I had to do today was fish out a sock from the boys’ toilet – you end up doing anything in this job. But some of the best moments I’ve had have been on residentials. You see a completely different side when the kids are outside school.
I remember the first trip I went on, there was a zip wire – the teacher I was with was saying, “Come on Mrs Avery, you’ll do it” and the children were cheering me on. So I thought, OK. I’m scared of heights and didn’t have the harness on yet, but I had to climb up this wobbly, rickety wooden tower that was shaking in the wind and get into the gear at the top. I was looking at this instructor, smiling but quietly saying: “You’re going to have to push me off because I can’t jump myself.”
But you have to put on a brave face for the children. And I did it. I screamed all the way down but it was fantastic and I did it again the next year. You have to show them how to give it a go and try new experiences.
I used to be teacher but I took a career break when I had my second child. I trained to work as a childminder at home then started helping in the school because my children go here. I love it.
‘Children have their own little ways – you’ve just got to find them’
Eileen Rogers has been a teaching assistant for 18 years.
I’ve been at the school since 1997 and I’m currently working with a five-year-old whose mum I helped when she was in year 5. They look alike and their mannerisms are the same too. The mum was into reading – she absolutely loved books – and the maypole dancing we used to do. It made me laugh this afternoon, because her little daughter was out on the playground while I was on duty, skipping around with a ball, showing me how well she could do it even though she’s only year 1.
All children have their own little ways and you’ve just got to find them. You have to chat to them on their level, find something that amuses them and talk about that. Once you’ve got them on your side and you’re having a bit of a laugh, you can introduce the work bit by bit and they’ll be with you.
‘I’ve worked with lots of children and there’s been loads of fun’
Lesley Hershaw has been a teaching assistant for six years.
In one of the schools I worked in, we all took part in a Great British Bake Off competition for charity, where the TA and teachers had to go to the front of the assembly hall and make a strawberry pavlova, with children from each year to help us. They loved getting involved.
Unbeknown to us, one of the teachers had unplugged all of our food mixers so they could get a head start and win, which made the children laugh. We had another teacher hosting the event as if he was Paul Hollywood and a couple of the governors judged it. It was such a great day.
I’ve worked with lots of children and there have been loads of fun things, like participating in sports day, school plays; all the things they love but can’t do every day. It’s a really good all-round job.
‘By the time I qualified I was ready for the daily challenges’
Jane Mason has been a TA for five years.
I work a lot with children one-to-one, including a boy with Down’s syndrome. I always remember our sports day when he was in reception year – he was so keen to take part it was hard to keep him back from the events he wasn’t in. We had a really good afternoon and he took part in lots of the races and activities. I thought he might be a bit tired after that and wanting his mum, but then towards the end, when the year 5s and 6s did their race, I turned round and he legged it. It was like Chariots of Fire; he was determined to take part in that race. That got everyone cheering.
I used to work as a tenancy management officer, but I wanted a change of scene. I volunteered first so I was eased gently into the kind of things that happen and by the time I’d got my qualification, I was ready for the challenges that each day can bring.
