Finally Debt Free After 34 Years, But Still Need to Live Frugally

Willowtree222

Ah ok Hairy,

The school might not always employ someone over qualified though. They might feel like she will move on as soon as a teaching job comes up if that makes sense?
I'm just hoping you don't rule yourself out of anything if anything does come up. There's a lot of politics when recruiting.

Saturday Saunter today? x

HairyHandofDartmoor

Sun_Addict wrote: »

That's a bit carp about the TA situation I hope you can continue with your level 3. Not surprised you feel cheesed off

Happy Anniversary I've known Mr SA since 1983. I went out with him for 3 weeks then packed him in because I didn't like him :rotfl: What happened there??

Thank you SA . I'm definitely going to continue with my Level 3. Not sure what happened there with Mr SA :rotfl:.

Magpie100 wrote: »

Long-time lurker delurking to say I hope you feel less despondent today. Sometimes it's hard to remember how much progress you've made, but it seems like only 5 minutes ago you weren't volunteering or earning at all! It's natural to want to progress and I sincerely hope you get a TA role at some point. For now, you are doing all the right things, doing all the right courses and proving how competent and responsible you are. So when opportunities do come up, you will be in a good position. I do understand it can seem frustrating if there are qualified teachers potentially in the mix, too, but this time last year you hadn't done any of your qualifications, and now look at you! For now, you need to focus on getting the level 3 done and then you can reassess. You're doing brilliantly! M100

Thank you Magpie for such a lovely supportive post .

Nicnak wrote: »

Ah ok Hairy,

The school might not always employ someone over qualified though. They might feel like she will move on as soon as a teaching job comes up if that makes sense?
I'm just hoping you don't rule yourself out of anything if anything does come up. There's a lot of politics when recruiting.

Saturday Saunter today? x

Thank you NIcnak .

I definitely won't rule myself out of anything and I will definitely keep doing my Level 3.

HairyHandofDartmoor

I'm going to do my Saturday saunter today. I have a rucksack full of clutter to drop at the charity shop (as always) and want to buy some tights to wear with a winter skirt I bought, plus a few other bits like mouthwash.

When I get back the plan is for DH and I to drop off a fold up table, a flat pack tv stand and a box of books at the charity shop. We've been bringing stuff back from my Mum's house and we need to clear some space to make room for them. After that I want to do a bit of tidying, rearranging and cleaning to get the house into shape. I also need to catch up on laundry as I'm very behind with it.

So a busy day. It's lovely and sunny, unlike yesterday, so that make everyone pleasanter .

[Deleted User]

HairyHandofDartmoor wrote: »

The only thing I have control over is how I behave. So I'll just keep doing what I've been doing and reassess after I get my Level 3 as Magpie says.

Exactly, HHOD:T:)

You mentioned that she's volunteering in the same class that you are. Presumably it's not at the same time as you're in there so you can only guess if she's any good at it. Just because she was a teacher doesn't mean she'll make the ideal TA (unlike you:A). The teacher may not feel comfortable with an ex-teacher present and for all you know she might be the type to do too much off her own bat and end up getting up the class teacher's nose:rotfl:.


Sounds like that school is very well-served with classroom help:j. I remember going in to school with my SIL only once, to help her with preparations for the school's Christmas concert. Not an adult in sight apart from the class teachers and she had a class of 31 Year Ones all by herself day in and day out:eek:. It wasn't the dark ages either, as recently as 1992. They'd had occasional volunteers at that school but they tended to be parents of children still at the school and were more of a disruption rather than anything else. The Head discouraged it apart from help with things like concerts and so on where costumes and help with dressing were needed. No paid TAs in those days.

HairyHandofDartmoor

With regard to school what I plan to do is keep turning up, work hard, be enthusiastic, keep learning as much as I can about the job I want to do and be friendly to everyone.

The only thing I have control over is how I behave. So I'll just keep doing what I've been doing and reassess after I get my Level 3 as Magpie says.

I've just told DH I'm going to channel him when I'm at school. DH will go up and talk to ANYONE, he's really brave. So I'm going to channel him and just go up to people and get to know them including the head teacher, because I know that's what DH would do. I'm not going to hold back thinking why would they want to talk to me, a mere dinner lady, instead I'm just going to go for it.

So maybe this new situation is good for me because it's going to be push me to do better and to be better .

in_need_of_direction

You have a plan, you can do this

milann

Don’t be downhearted about the teacher.....sometimes I’ve seen them volunteer because they can’t hack it in their own classroom for one reason or another - which shows itself in time. I’ve seen 2 teachers in a class clash big time. I’ve seen some good ones too who’ve gone back to teaching. I originally got into schools by volunteering and going on supply register- took a job for 2 weeks and moved on after having a permanent contract to a different school after many years - about 7 years there.
In fact the lady covering me as a LSA atm is a teacher with ‘loads of experience’ (her words) but couldn’t cope with the stress of teaching - she came in as an ‘expert’ got everybody’s back up by criticising everything including the teachers in the classes she worked in. She only has 1 child at a time (but what a child:rotfl::eek::eek:) anyway according to gossipy drums apparently she can’t wait for me to get back as she can’t cope with said child.....I’m hoping the strategies I’ve worked on for years - and explained fully to her- haven’t been wrecked whilst I’ve been off....we’ll see next week. Although I’m not even sure where I’ll be working when I go back....
Long and short of it - a good head will go for personality and attitude as well as qualifications if they want a happy and effective school ;)all is not lost with the arrival of this teacher - and they’re training you in the ways specific to that school.....I know there is a general policy in training but each school is different iykwim.... hang on in ther

Seasidegal58

HairyHandofDartmoor wrote: »

With regard to school what I plan to do is keep turning up, work hard, be enthusiastic, keep learning as much as I can about the job I want to do and be friendly to everyone.

The only thing I have control over is how I behave. So I'll just keep doing what I've been doing and reassess after I get my Level 3 as Magpie says.

I've just told DH I'm going to channel him when I'm at school. DH will go up and talk to ANYONE, he's really brave. So I'm going to channel him and just go up to people and get to know them including the head teacher, because I know that's what DH would do. I'm not going to hold back thinking why would they want to talk to me, a mere dinner lady, instead I'm just going to go for it.

So maybe this new situation is good for me because it's going to be push me to do better and to be better .

Happy belated Anniversary Hairy!:)

Re the TA role I think you've been given some fantastic advice by the other posters.

I can't really add to it as I've never been employed in the education sector, but I think you're on the right track by putting yourself out a little more like introducing yourself to the head, etc. You don't have to be full on (and I know that's not your nature). The business I'm employed in is infamous for its cut-throat nature and I've seen plenty of talented people get overlooked over the years because they have been rather retiring and shy. I don't think the education sector can be anywhere as bad but I've read plenty of posts on the forum by teachers who despair of the politics involved.

You can't go wrong with carrying on as you've written in your post - and go you on channeling your OH!:j

foxgloves

Hi HHoD,
My profession is not teaching, but there is a similar professional career bar. I have a professional post-graduate qualification & so like teachers, worked in a specific role. Those in my sector without a professional qualification worked as assistants. Occasionally, professionally qualified people would apply for assistant jobs, but they certainly didn't always get them. In fact, they mostly didn't. I think the feeling was often that over-qualified people may just be applying to fill a gap while they decide what they want to do & can sometimes create a few issues simply because they are used to working at a higher level so are not always easy to fit into a team. I can recall one specific individual who, while having all the professional qualifications & experience, turned out to be hopeless at the day to day stuff their clerical role required of them. I think I might also have felt a little threatened at times if I'd had to lead a team where there were staff in non-professionally qualified roles actually being as well qualified as I was.
So there are probably plenty of teachers who would prefer to work with good reliable teaching assistants. I'm sure that's how I'd feel.
Can understand your concerns though.
F x

HairyHandofDartmoor

milann wrote: »

Don’t be downhearted about the teacher.....sometimes I’ve seen them volunteer because they can’t hack it in their own classroom for one reason or another - which shows itself in time. I’ve seen 2 teachers in a class clash big time. I’ve seen some good ones too who’ve gone back to teaching. I originally got into schools by volunteering and going on supply register- took a job for 2 weeks and moved on after having a permanent contract to a different school after many years - about 7 years there.
In fact the lady covering me as a LSA atm is a teacher with ‘loads of experience’ (her words) but couldn’t cope with the stress of teaching - she came in as an ‘expert’ got everybody’s back up by criticising everything including the teachers in the classes she worked in. She only has 1 child at a time (but what a child:rotfl::eek::eek:) anyway according to gossipy drums apparently she can’t wait for me to get back as she can’t cope with said child.....I’m hoping the strategies I’ve worked on for years - and explained fully to her- haven’t been wrecked whilst I’ve been off....we’ll see next week. Although I’m not even sure where I’ll be working when I go back....
Long and short of it - a good head will go for personality and attitude as well as qualifications if they want a happy and effective school ;)all is not lost with the arrival of this teacher - and they’re training you in the ways specific to that school.....I know there is a general policy in training but each school is different iykwim.... hang on in ther

Seasidegal58 wrote: »

Happy belated Anniversary Hairy!:)

Re the TA role I think you've been given some fantastic advice by the other posters.

I can't really add to it as I've never been employed in the education sector, but I think you're on the right track by putting yourself out a little more like introducing yourself to the head, etc. You don't have to be full on (and I know that's not your nature). The business I'm employed in is infamous for its cut-throat nature and I've seen plenty of talented people get overlooked over the years because they have been rather retiring and shy. I don't think the education sector can be anywhere as bad but I've read plenty of posts on the forum by teachers who despair of the politics involved.

You can't go wrong with carrying on as you've written in your post - and go you on channeling your OH!:j

foxgloves wrote: »

Hi HHoD,
My profession is not teaching, but there is a similar professional career bar. I have a professional post-graduate qualification & so like teachers, worked in a specific role. Those in my sector without a professional qualification worked as assistants. Occasionally, professionally qualified people would apply for assistant jobs, but they certainly didn't always get them. In fact, they mostly didn't. I think the feeling was often that over-qualified people may just be applying to fill a gap while they decide what they want to do & can sometimes create a few issues simply because they are used to working at a higher level so are not always easy to fit into a team. I can recall one specific individual who, while having all the professional qualifications & experience, turned out to be hopeless at the day to day stuff their clerical role required of them. I think I might also have felt a little threatened at times if I'd had to lead a team where there were staff in non-professionally qualified roles actually being as well qualified as I was.
So there are probably plenty of teachers who would prefer to work with good reliable teaching assistants. I'm sure that's how I'd feel.
Can understand your concerns though.
F x

Thank you all of you . You are helping me to feel more positive about the situation and there is much truth in what you say.

I can't change who else applies for jobs or who else volunteers, so I must concentrate on the only thing I can control which is my attitude and how I behave.