Competition
Teachers’ Pocketbooks have generously provided TA Focus with 10 copies of The Teaching Assistant’s Pocketbook by Dot Constable.
This competition has now ended.
To win one of these books, all you have to do is ‘leave a reply’ at the bottom of the page with the reason you have become (or intend on becoming) a Teaching Assistant.
You don’t have to give your real name, but please give a valid email address.
Competition Terms & Conditions below.
About Teacher’s Pocketbooks
Teachers’ Pocketbooks, launched in 2003, are
intended to aid classroom teachers and support staff with practical information, ideas and expertise on a number of topics.
They are cute postcard-sized reads with the added bonus of cartoons!
The Teaching Assistant’s Pocketbook is one of 40 Teachers’ Pocketbooks available from Teachers’ Pocketbooks at £8.99 + p&p!
Competition Terms & Conditions
- The closing date for all entrants is 1st March 2015.
- We will notify ten winners, by email, after the closing date, who will receive one copy of the book each.
- Our competition is open to UK residents only and winners will need to provide a UK address to send the prize.
- The prize is offered as stated and is non-exchangeable or transferable. No cash alternatives will be provided.
- Your email address is required for the competition and will not be shared with any third parties.
- We reserve the right to pick an alternative winner if the original winner does not contact us within 14 working days of being told they have won.
- The prize is only open to entrants aged 18 or over.
- We reserve the right to cancel or suspend the prize at any point, without liability to the prize-giver or winner.
- Our decision is final on all matters and we will not enter into any further correspondence.
- By entering, you agree to be bound by these rules in relation to this competition.
Adele on February 4, 2015 at 5:37 pm said:
I became a Teaching Assistant to ensure all pupils can access & understand the curriculum & make them feel better about themselves. It also teaches me something new everyday & keeps me young, children say things that make me smile daily 🙂
Julia Fozard on February 4, 2015 at 5:47 pm said:
I became a teaching assistant to support the children that naturally get overlooked in the busy classroom environment, the ones without a voice that need someone to put a hand up for them, until they find the confidence to raise it for themselves.
ShellK81 on February 4, 2015 at 6:13 pm said:
I became a teaching assistant because I love helping children learn and find it so rewarding to see them achieve!
Jen on February 4, 2015 at 6:19 pm said:
I am a teaching assistant and have been for over a year, I love working with children and find it very rewarding as I help them develop and learn new skills everyday, building a trusting relationship and getting to meet new children everyday is great. Never a dull day with children they always make me smile 🙂
Hannah on February 4, 2015 at 6:19 pm said:
I became a TA recently, and loving every minute, I’m currently working in an EBD School and couldn’t think of anything better! It’s so rewarding to help the children achieve and that’s what I want when I wake up for work in morning 🙂 Han x
Clare on February 4, 2015 at 6:29 pm said:
I became a teaching assistant because TA’s are the glue that holds a class together. I provide valuable support to the teacher and offer encouragement and help for children experiencing learning difficulties. Becoming a teaching assistant is a big commitment. TA’s need patience, dedication to the student’s well-being and a good understanding of childhood development. I enjoy getting to know the children, becoming part of their life and watching them learn and grow as the school year progresses.
Karl Delahaye on February 4, 2015 at 6:31 pm said:
If I’m honest I became a teaching assistant for a variety of reasons. Some altruistic some not so: It fitted in with childcare (my daughter is in the school where I am a TA), I have travelled and worked extensively and felt I had lots of knowledge to pass on and inspire children, many people kept telling me what a great teacher I would make (didn’t fancy the workload of a teacher).
I started in September 2014 and my only regret is that I didn’t start doing the job 10 years ago!
lynne on February 4, 2015 at 6:54 pm said:
I have recently become a TA for a few reasons. One is mainly due to my daughter starting school and I don’t have much child cover for the holidays. The next reason is
Debbie on February 4, 2015 at 6:59 pm said:
I became a teaching assistant because I wanted to give children the support and opportunities to learn. I believe they all deserve to follow there dreams. I love it when children smile due their achievements 🙂 x
lynne on February 4, 2015 at 7:00 pm said:
I have recently become a TA for a few reasons. One is mainly due to my daughter starting school and I don’t have much child cover for the holidays. The next reason is having spent many years before having my daughter in a job I didn’t really enjoy, I spent the first year volunteering and discovered how enjoyable the job is. It is so rewarding seeing all the children achieving new things and it gives me such a warm feeling knowing I have played a part in guiding them towards doing so.
Natalie Hardy on February 4, 2015 at 7:00 pm said:
I became a teaching assistant for the kind of feelings I got today when one of my year 1s who hated p.e and found it really upsetting was awarded our sports achievers certificate for attitude and taking part!! It brought a little tear to my eye (proud t.a moment) 🙂
mel on February 4, 2015 at 7:02 pm said:
I became a TA by default. I was working in social services as a meals on wheels delivery driver and was forced into redundancy. I phoned a few schools and discovered that a head wanted to interview me. I gained the post under continuous employment. With a complete career change, I immersed myself with courses and 12 years later I graduated with a foundation degree in learning support. Everyday brings new challenges within school life and I wouldn’t change a thing.
TC on February 4, 2015 at 7:13 pm said:
I volunteered for years in KS1 and loved every minute I spent with the children. I decided this year last year that I was going to do my Level 3 Supporting Teaching and Learning and have managed to secure a job in the process. I now work with yr 5 and enjoy the interaction that I have with the children – I learn from them & they learn from me 😉
Jo Robinson on February 4, 2015 at 7:18 pm said:
I love learning!
Zoe Johnson on February 4, 2015 at 7:37 pm said:
I am studying to be a Teaching Assistant so I can go home feeling I have made a difference in someone’s life. It is such a rewarding job I love being in school
julie on February 4, 2015 at 8:26 pm said:
I became a teaching assistant primarily because I wanted to apply my knowledge of science in a practical way. I then fell in love with the idea of raising attainment and self esteem in pupils who were disaffected in some way. To get a child to smile at something they had done right, when their world usually told them all they were doing wrong was magical for me. I succeeded in becoming a science teacher but missed the closeness of working with individual pupils so went back to what I loved. No regrets (apart from the money maybe lol)
Mandm on February 4, 2015 at 8:31 pm said:
I am a Teaching Assistant
It’s a job that’s so unique
l hope I make a little difference
To the kids I support each week
Part Social worker. part educator
Sympathiser but with the skills to be firm
Theres never, ever a boring dull minute
Now how long did you say to Half Term ?
Rachel Corrigan on February 5, 2015 at 6:28 pm said:
hi, I’m looking to become a teaching assistant so this would be very useful
Sue Jennings on February 5, 2015 at 6:44 pm said:
I became a Teaching Assistant to make sure that no child went through what I did at school. By making sure that they had someone to support them and to talk to. I love me job that I look at it as a hobbie
Helen on February 7, 2015 at 9:45 pm said:
I became a TA after reading the Lamb Inquiry into SEN. I can remember people I was at school with who, in hindsight, probably had learning difficulties or SEN. Much less was known about these things in those days and they were just the ” thick kids” and were more or less left to get on with it. They are my inspiration.
Nick Reber on February 11, 2015 at 10:10 pm said:
Ta work
Sara Moore on February 24, 2015 at 12:10 pm said:
I am not a TA. I am a teacher that feels that TAs are often under-valued and their roles misinterpretted. I am currently taking part in an in school initiative to highlight the role and value of TAs within the classroom.
Tyra on February 24, 2015 at 7:13 pm said:
I’m becoming a teaching assistant because if the children are our future.. I want them to be the strongest, happiest, craziest future!
And I learn more around kids than anywhere else! They open my eyes so much.
sarah machin on February 24, 2015 at 8:24 pm said:
I became a TA at my ow n(4) children’s school as I felt privileged to be able to see what they were learning.
Now they have all left I still have that daily privilege of being part of different children’s learning journey’s. No two days are the same and I love being a mentor to the children, helping to build up their resilience and shoulder to cry on (for teacher and children!).
In a nutshell im skint (rubbish pay) but very happy.
Ally Rogerson on February 24, 2015 at 9:01 pm said:
I became a teaching assistant by accident, I was caretaker at a special needs school and I got yo know the children really well & I started to volunteer, to work in the classroom, then after a while I did my level 2 then level 3, and that was 9 years ago! And I STILL LOVE IT! All the children I work with are AWSOME!!!!
Emma on February 25, 2015 at 12:20 am said:
The reason I intend to become Teaching Assistant. as volunteering in a school made me realise what a rewarding job I could do.