Teresa Sowter - Teaching Assistant
My interest in working with children stemmed from the time I spent helping out at my son’s school. I enjoyed it so much I wanted to take it a step further but when I applied for a job at the school I missed out to a candidate who had qualifications so I enrolled on a Teaching Assistant course with Derby College.
The content of the course has really opened my eyes and given me a much deeper understanding of what’s involved in children’s development and education. When I completed the course another position became available at my son’s school and this time, thanks to my qualifications and experience, I got the job.
I have since secured more hours in my job, have completed the level 3 course as well and I’m now learning how to be an assessor of people on the Teaching Assistants course which I started out on. Having done the course recently myself allows me to empathise and relate to learners and give the support and encouragement that many learners need, especially when they are returning to learning after a long time out of education.