Help! Teaching assistant interview

[Lonelymama88]

Hi everyone,
I have an interview next for a teaching assistant position at my local school. I don’t have any experience working as a TA so not sure where to start.
I have been given a reading task, where I have to take in an age appropriate book to read and then do a ‘deepening’ activity linked to the book with them (which can be art, music, drama or research). Any ideas of an activity I could do? This will be with 6 year 3 students.
I have chosen either The Christmasaurus or Code Name Bananas to take in.

Christmas book a huge no no in July in a school. Had to google the other book so obviously you’d have to only read an extract

Much depends on how much time you have. I’d use a picture book but one with meaning for older children.
You will need to engage the children and use questioning. Difficult when you don’t know the group.

They will be looking for some sort of introduction to the activity, let the group know what to expect including activity
( though you could have a bag and say there will be an activity) and some sort of summing up at the end.
Don’t forget praise and reward ( either stickers or a turn etc)

If you have a book about animals they could design masks for e.g. The Bog Baby is a good one you could offer a choice of make a bog baby using dough or craft materials ( from the description in the book)
Good luck don’t forget to smile introduce yourself and let the children do the same ( could have stickers for them to write their names)

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bog-Baby-Jeanne-Willis/dp/0375861769

May I ask why a Christmas book is a no no? My daughter who is in year 3 LOVES Christmas books as does my eldest daughter.

How long does the session need to be? Definitely don’t do a Christmas story/book in July. You could do a reading comprehension activity, a game that keeps children focused. Google Year 3 Reading National Curriculum and choose an aspect to focus on. Pinterest and twinkl are great for short activities.

Charlotte’s Web is a Year 3 classic. Could do some lovely spider web art.

Re Christmas book
Any mention of Christmas in schools is usually “ banned” til December otherwise everyone gets totally over excited

You won’t get the job if you do a Christmas story. Do you know what topic they’re doing at school at all? A book linked to that would be good. And think about something you can teach them based on the book. If it is an art activity, what do they learn from it?

Just be yourself! I would advise against the Xmas book too, particularly if the school is multi faith.
Use humour, engage with the kids, ask them lots of questions and most importantly, have fun!

Thank you all.
I have 30-40 mins for the activity, I have a few ideas, I just have to choose a different book 🙈

I just did a job interview yesterday and got the job. I read a book linked to the topic they were learning about and then did hot seating, the kids asked questions to the two main characters from the book. I used a prop to make them look like one of the characters which they really liked.

Congratulations on getting the job!!!
I have decided to read How to Train A Dragon (a couple of chapters maybe). I am thinking of then asking them to draw a picture of one of the characters and to write down what they think that character was feeling and their emotions…
Were you the ‘main character’ answering the questions?

Two chapters is quite a lot to read to them, I’d suggest reading the first part and then getting some of them to read (ask for volunteers since you won’t know their abilities). I like your idea about the picture with the feelings. You could also add speech into it and ask them to use speech bubbles or speech marks.