Sundae |
10-30-2010 02:22 PM |
Thanks to all - yes I did work out that many children have names.
Last week.
I do have trouble learning them though - 60 kids at present and it's driving me crackers - what a relief to just have one (well, plus those in Craft Club, but I know nearly a half of those from last year)
Working with a named child is a way of differentiating from TAs who work with a whole class (as I have as a volunteer). So I'll working one-on-one and technically just responsible for that child, although of course there will be times I'll be asked to help in general activities and like any teacher or TA I'll be expected to uphold general rules of discipline in class and corridors etc. And I'll be much more involved in following a set plan for Educational Needs, recording information and I'll be interacting with specialist workers engaged with the child and also his parents.
I'm not sure if the child is on the autistism spectrum. The school has a specialist language centre with ten staff, so his communication difficulties might be physical, and the social side might stem from that. I have to wait and see. I'll have excellent in-school support anyway, we have a speech therapist on our staff as well as a Specialist Education & Disability Coordinator (SENCO) who was part of the interview panel.
Also it's only 20 hours a week - this must have been decided on via assessment. I know it includes at least some lunchtimes, but I don't think I'll be included in lessons like PE or singing or assemblies - I might be wrong, but those would be the ones I'd expect not to attend. Whereas the Downs Syndrome child in one of the classes I volunteer has a full-time TA, as does a registered blind child in a higher class.
I figure I'll have something to read around anyway. The school chose ME as the best candidate to work with this boy and I take courage from that. I am going to do everything I can to make them glad they did so, as well as the best I can for him.
As well as that, I get to see all the other little others I've already worked with around school. I've never been unpopular at work, but I've never been in an office where someone's face lights up just because they've passed me in the corridor, or where they run up to me outside work to give me a hug and tell me what they're doing. Even the staff came to give me a handshake or a kiss when they heard I had the job. It's just a lovely place.
I am SO happy.
Oh and Bruce, I'm SO not the man. Guess I'll have to prove it at sometime soon :)
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