Review and refine roles, responsibilities, and expectations with staff and community
Suggestion for implementing the strategy ‘Reviewing how teacher aides can support learning and wellbeing and improve attainment throughout the school’
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Set a clear purpose
Set a clear purpose
...rigorously define the role of teaching assistants and consider their contribution in relation to the drive for whole-school improvement.
These decisions on deployment are the starting point from which all other decisions about teaching assistants flow.
Jonathan Sharples, Rob Webster, and Peter Blatchford
Make explicit the value TAs bring
Make explicit the value TAs bring
Be specific about value teacher aides bring to your school, their roles and responsibilities, and how you will support them in their work.
Make expectations transparent
Make expectations transparent
Teacher aides assist teachers by carrying out a considerable range of tasks and roles including:
- learning support
- behaviour management
- supporting student presence, social engagement, and peer interaction
- supporting health procedures
- assisting with physical positioning
- administration.
A teacher aide may also be part of an individual student’s support team.
This team (family/whānau, teacher, RTLB, specialist, SENCO, and others) collaborates to develop an Individual Education Plan (IEP) for a student. The teacher aide, guided by the teacher, actively supports the implementation of this plan.
Establish role clarity
Establish role clarity
Teachers are the leaders of all the adults in their class. They are responsible for structuring, guiding, and supervising the work of teacher aides. They neeed to regularly observe and give constructive feedback to teacher aides.
Learning decisions are made by the teacher, not the teacher aide. Teacher aides add value to, and do not replace, teachers. They are part of the collaborative team around a student. They are not the team or the plan for a student.
Source: Teacher aides: Draft practice guidelines
Clarify what TA funding covers
Clarify what TA funding covers
- Teacher aide funding is a contribution towards learning and support for students.
- Schools can use teacher aide funding flexibly to support the well-being, learning, and inclusion of students.
- It is important that time is made available for teachers and teacher aides to regularly meet, train, plan, monitor, and evaluate together within a teacher aide’s hours.
Useful resources
Useful resources
The role of the teacher’s aide: Information for parents and caregivers
Read time: 4 min
This information sheet for NZ parents explains the role of teacher aides in schools.
Download PDF
Next steps
More suggestions for implementing the strategy “Review and refine the TA's role and responsibilities”:
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How to use this site
Guide to Index of the guide: Teacher aide practice
Strategies for action:
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Review and refine the TA's role and responsibilitiesShow suggestions for Review and refine the TA's role and responsibilities
- Recommendations from research
- Current models of practice
- Review and refine roles, responsibilities, and expectations
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Develop effective recruitment, induction, and PLD processesShow suggestions for Develop effective recruitment, induction, and PLD processes
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Support and prepare teachers in their roleShow suggestions for Support and prepare teachers in their role
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Identify areas to build TA understanding and confidenceShow suggestions for Identify areas to build TA understanding and confidence
