Working with teaching assistants

Teaching assistants could be of enormous value to NQTs as they start their careers.

With heaps of experience both in and out of the classroom, your relationship with your teaching assistant could be among the most important working relationship you develop during your first year.

The number of teaching assistants working in schools has almost doubled in the last five years and many teaching assistant roles have been expanded in line with the changes made by the Workload Agreement.

The working relationships between teachers and teaching assistants have continued to be vitally important for successful schools. Yet teachers receive no formal training on working with other adults in the classroom. Such relationships need to be worked at and developed to ensure that both teachers and teaching assistants fully benefit from them and in turn that the pupils do too.

Many teaching assistants work closely with pupils with special educational needs and have become integral to a school's SEN provision. You will find that an experienced teaching assistant's knowledge of SEN can be extremely helpful and they will be happy to work with you and suggest areas of support which will be most beneficial for individual pupils.

Learning

When you are teaching a whole class it is not always possible to identify immediately if a pupil is falling behind or not understanding the work whereas teaching assistants working with individual pupils or groups of pupils are ideally placed to recognise such circumstances and address them accordingly.

Many teachers will rely on a teaching assistant's judgement during a lesson and both parties will feedback afterwards and work on plans to address learning issues. Teachers often appreciate having a colleague to bounce ideas off and when a teacher/support staff relationship is working at its most effective this can happen on a regular basis.

A successful relationship

One of the important points to remember is that for a successful working relationship to take place there has to be commitment and understanding on both sides.

Always keep the teaching assistant working in your class fully informed about the intention of the lesson, the way you have planned it and what you hope the outcomes will be. That way they will be able to enhance the lesson by building on the objectives you have set.

Behaviour is another area where support staff need to be kept fully informed. If there was an accident involving pupils in your class the teaching assistant must know what is expected of him/her and likewise if there is a disruptive pupil, any action must fit in with the school’s behaviour and discipline policy. If there have been previous difficulties with a certain pupil, the teaching assistant must be told about this so he/she is aware and can react accordingly if there are further problems.

Teachers do sometimes have different teaching styles and if a teaching assistant is working in a number of classes with various teachers, they may have to regularly adapt to differing methods of teaching. You will need to take that into account, especially in the early days when they may not be used to the way you teach. Again, keeping a clear line of communication open always helps with this.

Top tips

There is no doubt that the increased numbers of teaching assistants within schools have resulted in substantial benefits for both pupils and teachers alike. To ensure you reap the benefits of working with teaching assistants, here are some key things to keep in mind which should help build and maintain a successful working relationship.

Keep your teaching assistants fully informed about everything that affects their role
Make time to talk with your teaching assistant before and after lessons to ensure there is an opportunity to exchange information and share concerns
Don't be afraid to ask a teaching assistant for advice. They have worked with NQTs before and will know better than anyone how daunting the induction year can seem!
Be aware that your individual style of teaching may differ from some of your teaching colleagues and don't make assumptions that they will automatically understand the objectives of your lessons
Build on the teaching assistant's relationships with the pupils. They may have been working with a class, or a specific pupil, for some time and have consequently built up a good understanding of the pupil's abilities and learning needs.

Case study from ATL member, Carol Deane

I have been working as a teaching assistant for 16 years, mostly with year 1 children. During that time I have had many job titles ranging from 'Infant helper' to, currently, 'Level 3 teaching assistant', which says it all how my role has changed.

I have had the pleasure (mostly!) to work with many, totally different teachers, including several NQTs.

Jane shares all her ideas with me and is always keen to seek my views on everything we do. We take turns to work with all groups of children, as it is so important for the less able to have the attention of their teacher as well as the TA.

Jane is the teacher with whom I currently share a classroom, and have done so for three years, including her NQT year. We have a wonderful working relationship, and the children in our class think they have two teachers. Jane shares all her ideas with me and is always keen to seek my views on everything we do. We take turns to work with all groups of children, as it is so important for the less able to have the attention of their teacher as well as the teaching assistant.

We both carry out assessments, and if the ability groups need adjusting we do it together, although I never forget that Jane is the teacher.

Right from the start, Jane has been very open and honest with me, she appreciates my experience and general knowledge. You gain this over time, what ever your job. She gives me time in the school day to do displays, filing etc., and I am happy to help her 'out of hours' if needs be. We perform a super double act, laugh a lot, talk, phone and text a lot.

Jane never makes me feel inferior. We are partners who rejoice in seeing children in our care blossom. She is a lovely young friend, almost like another daughter.

Help and support

For further advice on this issue, ATL members can speak to their school rep, their branch secretary or their regional official. They can also call the London (020 7930 6441), Cardiff (029 2046 5000) or Belfast office (02890 327 990) or email info@atl.org.uk.

For out of hours enquiries, call the out of office hours helpline on 020 7782 1612 (Monday-Friday, 5-8pm during term time).

If you are not a member, join now.

Further information

Resources

Supporting education, Pdf document, 271 KB

Ready steady teach!

Your first teaching job marks an incredibly exciting time ahead but as well as excitement you may also feel apprehension.You certainly won't be alone in this. Knowing where to turn for help and advice before you start work will assist you to thrive, not just survive, in this all-important year. That’s why we’ve created this booklet for you. Not only does it include tips on things like parents’ evenings, writing reports or disciplining pupils, it also guides you through the various ways ATL can provide advice and support.

Download now - 36 pp - Pdf document (488k)