Dana has worked with a teaching assistant (for more information, see the Glossary of selected terms) during her internship. Yet, she has never cooperated with any TA on a long-term basis. Now, she will meet teaching assistants regularly in her classes. She has already met all of them (see chapter one) and has developed a working system that suits her and each assistant.
A Guide for Beginning Teachers
Cooperating with a teaching assistant (TA)
Even though you have spent a lot of time preparing for the cooperation with your TAs and getting to know them, you might later need to adjust or even change your system completely as you spend more time in the class. Don’t be afraid to make changes, even though it might be challenging and you may feel as if you had failed. Although certain methods may be fine when the TA works with other teachers, you two may need to come up with a completely different system.
Agree with your TA on regular meetings (once a month or a quarter) to discuss the following topics:
- How do we work within the limits of the current system? Are we both comfortable during classes? If not, what is the cause of the discomfort? Do we need to make any changes? Does the TA need any support – both professional and personal?
- How does the class respond to my teaching style? Are there any hiccups I have missed?
- Communication with parents – what has worked well for us recently? What are the parents like? How do they respond to the information we give thm? Can we make any improvements? Are we getting enough feedback?
You might find out that another child in the class may need more support. Do not be afraid to talk to the TA and ask them to help you with this child as well. As mentioned in the first chapter – do not perceive the TA as an assistant to a particular child, but as your right hand when working with the whole class and supporting the development of the potential of all the children.
Quotation from Act no. 563/2004 Coll. On Pedagogical Staff as amended in 2016
Section 20 (1)
(1) A teacher’s assistant who carries out direct educational activity in a class where children or pupils with special educational needs are educated or in a school providing education of children and pupils by way of individual integration shall acquire a professional qualification...
Section 20 (2)
(2) A teacher’s assistant who carries out direct educational activity consisting of auxiliary educational work at school, school facility for extracurricular education, school educational and accommodation facility, school facility for the performance of institutional or protective education, or in a school facility for preventive educational care, shall acquire a professional qualification...