Teaching Assistants

Teaching Assistant Courses – Updates Article

Imagine your first day as a Teaching Assistant. You have worked hard on your teaching assistants course, qualified, been interviewed and selected. Now you stand in the playground of the school, smartly dressed, proud but nervous. Very nervous. Your own children attend this very school and they are nervous too but for a different reason. Classroom credibility. Their Mum is now a “Teacher”.

Will your teachers assistant course have prepared you? There were lots of teaching assistants courses to choose from but that’s one thing you are sure of. It was great, you enjoyed it and learned a lot. But what is real life like as a teaching assistant (classroom assistant)?

Well whatever you have learned from your treasured teacher assistant course you can be sure that life in the classroom will be varied, challenging and very rewarding.

But you can be sure that your role will be different from a teaching assistant in another school because teaching assistants tasks will vary fro school to school. You could find yourself supporting an individual child or even a group of “students”. The teacher may even need some support.

Let's take away some of those nerves and list a few things that your teacher assistant course has tried to prepare you for.

Teacher Assistant Courses Overview 1 – Teaching assistants support the teacher

• Preparing the classroom for different activities
• Observing pupils performance and communicating such to the teacher
• Setting up ICT equipment
• Helping with school outings and other events such as sports and parents evenings

Teachers Assistant Courses Overview 2 – A Teaching assistant supports the pupil

• Looking after distressed pupils
• Playing educational games
• Reading to the children or listening to them read
• Telling them stories
• Looking after craft activities and art displays
• Supporting pupils who are slow to learn or behind in their activities

Teacher Assistant Course Overview 3 – Teaching Assistants Support the school carrying out routine activities

• Performing admin tasks
• Understanding and ensuring all the schools policies are followed
• Making sure all health and safety and legal issues are in order

Teaching Assistant Course Overview 4 – The Teaching Assistant Supports the Curriculum

• Understanding the National Curriculum for your age group
• Planning, evaluating and assisting pupils during all learning activities

Teaching Assistant Courses Overview Other – A Teaching Assistant supports pupils with special needs

• Ensuring that pupils with special needs are and feel included
• Always supporting learners

Teaching Assistants Courses Overview Other – A Teaching Assistant supports pupils with Literacy development

• Supporting the development of reading skills
• Supporting the development of writing skills
• Supporting the development of speaking and listening skills

Teachers Assistant Course Overview Other – A Teaching Assistant supports pupils with Numeracy development

• Supporting the development of number skills
• Supporting the development of problem solving and data handling skills
• Supporting the understanding of measures, shape and space

Teacher Assistant Courses Overview Other – Teaching Assistants work with others

• Teams
• Colleagues
• Other professionals and parents

Teachers Assistant Courses Overview Other – Summary

Wow – That's some task BUT don’t worry as a new teaching assistant you will be introduced slowly into all this and most schools actually have an induction programme that blends beautifully with your teaching assistant course to help you enjoy your work from day 1.

Please note that (as stated in your teaching assistants course) you are not required to lead lessons but may supervise a class if the teacher is absent temporarily. Higher Level Teaching Assistants do work alongside the teacher acting as a specialist assistant. But hey that’s getting ahead of ourselves and your teacher assistant course has not prepared you for that.

Skills You Need to Be a Good Teaching Assistant and Enrol on a Teacher Assistant Course

If you've got through the interview then you must have the skills required, the main one being that you enjoy working with children. Good organisational skills are important too as well as the ability to develop good relationships with both pupils and adults.

Do our Teacher Assistant Courses Meet that Criteria?

Relax. We even supply our teachers assistant courses direct to schools often ordered by the Head Teacher for his teaching assistants who have no qualifications. Vocational Training Organisations also enrol many students on our teachers assistant courses and The Prince’s Trust no less fund younger students for teaching assistants courses with us.

So What about You?

There you stand outside the door of your chosen school, outside the door of your new and exciting career as a teaching assistant. Your teaching assistants course has prepared you well. The diploma from your teacher assistants course proves that you absorbed the “know-how” and are ready to go.

Walk through that door and enjoy your life as a teaching assistant knowing that you can and will make a difference in the lives of many pupils.

PS: I hope you don’t think this is cheeky but could you please recommend our teachers assistant courses to all those teaching assistants you meet that do not have what you do.

PPS: I know this is pushing it but it would be great if you could also mention our teacher assistant courses to your head teacher.

Thanks and Enjoy the Journey