Looking for experiences of life as a teaching assistant, specifically in an LSU.

Are you Brant's ventriloquist dummy?

LOL @B.John!

I did it for 4 weeks as experience before applying to PGCE.

Hey Grant,

Kips blokey husband type person here. I manage a referral unit in Devon and have employed teaching assistants and the like.

Any specific info you are looking for?

Simon.

My missus was a TA now she's a learning mentor at a primary school, I don't know what LSU means though.

My Mrs works at a High School. I don't know what the initials stand for.but she specialises in Maths and dealing with the bad 'uns. She loves it.

LSU = Learning Support Unit.

Working will all as you put it "the bad lads"

Yup, the missus works with the gifted and talented and the, erm, the more troublesome kids, when the senior staff allow her to.

My wife is also a full time TA after doing some voluntary work at the local school. She has responsibility for 2 difficult cases working one to one with one in the morning and the other in the afternoons. She finds it hard going at times but really rewarding. As part of her training she recently spent a day at the local LSU and despite a few missiles flying her way she thinks it might be somewhere she wants to work in the future. It might be an idea to see if you can get some voluntary experience first.

Hi I was a TA in a PRU (pupil referral unit) for two years and am now teaching in a similar environment.

I loved it, most of my time was spent playing football or pool and supporting students 1:1. This meant that I formed really good relationships with the lads I was working with.

As a TA it's easy to be the good guy all the time, totally different to being a teacher in my experience.

There's no escaping that the pay is shite but it's great go for it. Was one of the best jobs I've ever had.

Rob

Well currently work in the bike trade and was looking for something none weekend, saw this advertised applied, interviewed, offered. Term time only and a lot better than average wage for this job. Gonna get to do woodwork and mechanicing with them, but not entirely sure what I will be doing when not doing either of those and just on general TA duties. So really looking for advice and any warnins or experiences before I sign on the dotted.

Sorry Grant but I'm struggling to understand how you are managing to keep your prospective new employer sweet. If you have been offered the job, then either accept it or dont (and pretty quickly.) I may have gotten the wrong end of the stick but your post was started a few days ago. If I had interviewed you and I was made to wait for your answer, I wouldn't be best pleased.

Be under no illusions. Working in a LSU is bloody tough. LSU Teachers and teaching assistants specialise in teaching appropriate behaviour, not english, maths, mechanics or woodwork. The activity is completely irrelevant. Building a positive relationship which helps young people to improve their self-esteem is the key. I have spent countless times planning really cool, interactive lessons only to discover that my kids went joy-riding the night before and were still in Police custody.

Being able to maintain a "safety bubble" is really important for staff. (I drink lots!) If you are coming into this profession hoping that you will win friends and change damaged young minds then forget it. (Watch out for youth worker types who want to change the world and often get too close to the kids – I've had to pick up the peices a number of times.) Messed up kids will only change when they want to and not because you are their friend. Remember this when you have been called a f**kin c*unt 5 times before the kids get out of the taxi.

Think long and hard if the LSU is in a city centre location. (Far more difficult to deal with than a rural location.)

Sorry….. I could go on. Its been a tough day. If you like dealing with the sons and daughters of alcoholics, drug addicts and thieves then good for you.

I have found that every single damaged kid I have worked with has an equally damaged parent. This can also be challenging to deal with.

Bloody hell, I've been in this job toooooo long.

If you fancy the job set yourself a time limit (say 2 years.) No ordinary person can do this type of job for longer without going completely potty.

Sorry for the rant but I've been in eduaction (Primary, secondary and now an LSU) for more than 15 years now. Every job I have interviewed for, has required an acceptance on the day.

You seem in a very fortunate position if they are prepared to wait around for your answer.

Simon