Level two teaching assistant

peasandcarrrotttss · 2022-08-29T21:06:14+00:00

Posting for traffic. Can anyone who has done this adult college course give me an idea of what to expect? What is it like in placement? What is expected of you during working in a school? What kind of assignments are there? How much work is there each week? Is the work hugely time consuming? Thanks!

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peasandcarrrotttss · 29/08/2022 22:42

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Doyouknowtheway · 30/08/2022 00:10

On your placement the T/A and Teacher will give you guidance and you'll learn what's expected of you. They will give you good advice but some things they'll assume are common knowlege that aren't. Don't worry about not knowing something and always ask if unsure about anything. You'll have your Tutor come out and assess you in the classroom possibly twice. While there the Tutor will view your display (you will be usually be asked to put a display together and put it up in the classroom). Usually you'll set up a task or game and take groups of children to complete this while the tutor watches aswell.
Once employed you'll manage behaviour, set up tasks for choosing time/continuous provision. Teach small groups for phonics, maths and guided reading. Sometimes keeping the class occupied while the Teacher tends to something else. Assist with observations. Build trusting relationships with the children, help deal with any fall outs, encourage positive behaviour, good choices and problem resolutions. Communicating with staff and parents professionally.
Attend training days(phonics, positive behaviour reinforcement, restraint and remove, first aid, mental health, sen) meetings for safeguarding, sen, pupil behavioural focused meetings, general staff meetings and appraisals. It's a job that keeps you very busy but so much fun at the same time. It's not very well paid (£1000 a month paid pro rata) but the best job I've ever had and also off work all those holidays that my own kids are off school.
I found the course to be fairly easy and not hugely time consuming. A lot of the in class stuff was discussion based. Buy the book the college recommend to you or take notes in class of all the 'acts' and abbreviations and keep repeating in your head to use in your assignments. I'm sure It was one big assignment in stages like 9 of them but not massive. Enough for one file and that included all handout sheets and notes too.

Original poster

peasandcarrrotttss · 30/08/2022 08:15

Doyouknowtheway · 30/08/2022 00:10

On your placement the T/A and Teacher will give you guidance and you'll learn what's expected of you. They will give you good advice but some things they'll assume are common knowlege that aren't. Don't worry about not knowing something and always ask if unsure about anything. You'll have your Tutor come out and assess you in the classroom possibly twice. While there the Tutor will view your display (you will be usually be asked to put a display together and put it up in the classroom). Usually you'll set up a task or game and take groups of children to complete this while the tutor watches aswell.
Once employed you'll manage behaviour, set up tasks for choosing time/continuous provision. Teach small groups for phonics, maths and guided reading. Sometimes keeping the class occupied while the Teacher tends to something else. Assist with observations. Build trusting relationships with the children, help deal with any fall outs, encourage positive behaviour, good choices and problem resolutions. Communicating with staff and parents professionally.
Attend training days(phonics, positive behaviour reinforcement, restraint and remove, first aid, mental health, sen) meetings for safeguarding, sen, pupil behavioural focused meetings, general staff meetings and appraisals. It's a job that keeps you very busy but so much fun at the same time. It's not very well paid (£1000 a month paid pro rata) but the best job I've ever had and also off work all those holidays that my own kids are off school.
I found the course to be fairly easy and not hugely time consuming. A lot of the in class stuff was discussion based. Buy the book the college recommend to you or take notes in class of all the 'acts' and abbreviations and keep repeating in your head to use in your assignments. I'm sure It was one big assignment in stages like 9 of them but not massive. Enough for one file and that included all handout sheets and notes too.

Thanks so much that's really helpful

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