Taking on a Teaching Assistant role is a great way of getting first-hand classroom experience. Revised Recruitment place Teaching Assistants into Primary and Secondary schools on a long term, short term and day to day basis.
Our top tips below will help you get rid of any first day nerves and will help you exceed expectation in the classroom.
1. Show your passion
Students are very intuitive and will pick up on your energy - it’s super important that you are enthusiastic about every task that you are involved in.
2. Memorise your student's names
While it might seem like a small task it can really make the difference. Addressing your students by their name helps you to establish rapport with them and gives them personal attention. In return, they are also more likely to give you, their attention! Win win!
3. Be proactive
If the teacher is dealing with an issue in class, don’t stand back and watch. Make yourself useful by minimising disruption and keeping the rest of the class on track. The Teacher will really appreciate this and so will the other pupils.
4. Be flexible
As a Teaching Assistant, you may work with a number of students, who will all have different needs. You will need to be able to adapt to different learning styles.
5. Be patient
Persistence is key so, be prepared to go over some parts of the lesson more than once or in different ways to ensure that the students understand. Your students might not grasp things right away but don’t give up, with your help they will get there in the end!
6. Smile and be friendly
This might seem like an obvious one, but it’s an important one to remember. Think about the impression you might be giving. In order to be a successful TA you must be friendly and approachable to students, teachers and parents.
7. Preparation is key
Prior to working with the students, you should aim to find out as much as possible about the pupils that you will be working with. This might include things about their behaviour or what motivates them. This will help you feel more confident in your role.
8. Be attentive
Your role as a Teaching Assistant requires you be an extra pair of eyes and ears in the classroom. Therefore, if you notice anything out of the ordinary or anything of concern such you should report it the teacher.
9. Stay calm
Schools can at times be stressful environments to work in and it is easy to get overwhelmed, however, remember to take a deep breath and stay calm. Rather than focus on the negatives of the situation, try to focus on the positives - everything will be okay in the end.
10. Communication is vital
It is important to communicate regularly with the teacher you support in order to truly understand what they need from you. Aim to catch up after the lesson is over or even after school has finished so that you can discuss how you and your students can get the most from your time.
To start your Teaching Assistant journey with Revised Recruitment Group, “show your interest” and we will be in touch.
