Week 10
When Monday morning came I was super nervous. The primary school was situated one road away from where I used to live, so on the way in to work I took a slightly longer route than was necessary so that I could walk past my old house. I was just kidding myself; I actually took the longer route to put off entering the school. I remember thinking to myself that I could turn back, go home, and look for alternative employment. And now, reflecting on that moment, I realise how important my decision to go through with it was, and how that decision has had such a big impact on the last three and a half years. It could have all been very different.
The things I wouldn‘t have done had I turned around and gone home.
For a start, I wouldn’t have had such an awesome first week as a TA. The child I was looking after had some behaviour issues and I was there because his previous TA refused to continue working with him. The kicking at her shins was the final straw.
When I got to the school I met with the SENCo and he showed me to the classroom. We had our own classroom! It would be just me and the child, a CD player, loads of toys, dressing up clothes, and an unplugged fridge partially obstructing the fire exit. The SENCo showed me the CD player and explained how I might want to play the CD to calm the child down. It was one of those self help CDs to help you deal with moments of anger. Of course, it turned out to be useless because the child was five years old, and had he bothered to listen, wouldn’t have understood it the same way as an adult would have anyway. It was a confidence boost for me because seeing that and the complex reward system, I knew straight away that whatever I did, I couldn’t possibly be as incompetent as the previous TA.
It wasn’t an easy first TA role and even though he would destroy the room twice a day and try to escape through the windows and doors (the doors had bolts at the top), I had an awesome time working with him. I even took a few punches to the stomach. I didn’t mind, the child had had a shit life and the violence was just his way of dealing with things. I know he had had a shit life because he would often tell me some very sad things.
My original contract was for just one week because I was off on tour. Fortunately, when I got back from tour, the supply TA that took over from me hadn't been enjoying it so I was put back there. My time with him lasted another four weeks - someone had been employed as his LSA permanently, but wasn’t able to start until after Christmas. In those four weeks I did a lot of chasing him around the school (the windows didn’t lock) and playing lots of different games. We did everything from acting/role-playing games to football, via playing with cars on the car mat. On one occasion, early in the morning, Sally Phillips [Smack the Pony, Alan Partridge] walked past our window. She did so every day but this was somewhat different. We were playing cars on the car mat and I was wearing a Knights tabard. I was making an engine sound with my lips, and when I looked up, I saw her looking in as she walked past. Our eyes met and she gave me that smile. If you don’t know what I mean by that smile, watch I’m Alan Partridge; it’s the smile she does every time Alan does something daft. The most beautiful women in the world thinks that I'm a pratt. Hurrah.
I was sad when the four weeks were up. I’d not only had a great time, but I’d also made lots of progress with him. He was now able to participate with his peers more and we’d spend the afternoons in the resource area between the classrooms with a small group doing craft activities. He also learned that when he destroyed the room, he would be the one that had to clear it up!
The work from the agency was few and far between so I joined a second agency after another chat with Frank. There I started to get a bit more regular work. I worked at various schools across London and every job seemed to have the same thing in common; I learned quickly that schools don’t tend to get in cover TAs, and when they do, it’s usually because there is a behaviour issue involved!
I didn’t enjoy the feeling of starting a new job each week so when a full-time position came up at a school I was working at, I applied. I got the job and I’m still there today. After I received the phone call to say I was being offered the job I walked in to the town centre. As I was passing the Post Office I heard a voice calling my name. I looked over and it was Frank. He had popped out of the Job Centre to have a quick smoke. I told him that only twenty minutes earlier I’d been offered a full-time role in a job I loved doing. He looked happy for me; the feeling I got from Frank was that he did genuinely care. I thanked him for everything he had done for me, and as we parted company, we shook hands.
Every time I pass the Job Centre or Post Office I look out for Frank. I’d love to tell him that since getting that job I have started a part-time honours degree in education, and that I am going to try to obtain qualified teacher status. I think he would like that. I would also like to explain that all of this was possible because of him, and that he had changed everything.
