Introducing teacher aides to classroom culture and expectations
Suggestion for implementing the strategy ‘Supporting and preparing teachers in their role’
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Introduce a new teacher aide to students
Introduce a new teacher aide to students
Encourage teachers to set the tone for how a teacher aide will be received by students.
- Introduce the teacher aide as someone who will be working in the classroom with the teacher to help everybody learn.
- Provide the teacher aide with an opportunity to mihi mihi and introduce themselves and their interests to the class .
- Outlinine some of the responsibilities of the teacher aide within the classroom.
- Support the teacher aide to get to know all the students.
- Avoid saying the teacher aide is here “to help Sarah".
Source: Adapted from Welcome to the classroom: An information and communication guide for teachers and one-to-one paraprofessionals
Share expectations about classroom culture
Share expectations about classroom culture
Encourage teachers to take time to introduce a new teacher aide to:
- an overview of the classroom philosophy
- confidentiality protocols
- the need for discretion when talking about students in their presence
- appropriate and inappropriate use of touch and force
- how you value and respect differences in culture, religion, gender, social class, and abilities
- agreed approaches for getting the class to listen
- agreed approaches for motivating children to cooperate
- agreed approaches for managing conflict with or between students.
Source: Adapted from Welcome to the classroom: An information and communication guide for teachers and one-to-one paraprofessionals
Build collaborative relationship
Build collaborative relationship
Checklist for building collaborative working relationships between teachers and teacher aides.
- Check school policies have been introduced to the teacher aide, including that on confidentiality policy and practice.
- Agree on communication methods.
- Explain classroom routines.
- Provide information about the students they are working with.
- Provide a daily written schedule of tasks, including plans to follow when implementing teacher-planned instruction.
- Demonstrate strategies for working with students.
- Schedule regular debriefings to discuss issues, answer questions, and reflect on student progress.
- Acknowledge and recognise the teacher aide’s work and give specific constructive feedback.
Establish information sharing options
Establish information sharing options
Explore ways to keep communication flowing between regular meetings.
- Display schedules, rules, and other information on the classroom wall or whiteboard for quick reference by teacher aides.
- Teachers can make their classroom plans available to teacher aides in hard copy or digitally (for example, as a shared Google Doc) so teacher aides can see what is planned for the day/week/term/unit.
- Teachers can provide summaries or excerpts of classroom plans to teacher aides, indicating the teacher aides’ tasks.
Source: Adapted from Welcome to the classroom: An information and communication guide for teachers and one-to-one paraprofessionals
Useful resources
Useful resources
Module 2 Keeping our work confidential, professional, and safe
Try activity 1, Identifying your connections, on page 7 of this module.
Next steps
More suggestions for implementing the strategy “Support and prepare teachers in their role”:
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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
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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
- Introducing teacher aides to classroom culture and expectations
- Negotiating support approaches with student and whānau
- Leading and coordinating learning
- Supporting teacher aides to gather useful data
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Identify areas to build TA understanding and confidenceShow suggestions for Identify areas to build TA understanding and confidence
