LSA

[Grabaspoon]

Hi,

I have recently applied for a role in a school and have been given an interview - for a LSA for a child with a particular need.

I was just wondering what you want/expext out of a LSA?

My main points would be, from reading some of the threads on here:

Confidential - no discussing child to others.
Follow through with what the parents are doing with regards to support.
Listen to the parents as they know their child.
Be approachable/friendly but also know the proffessional guidlelines/restrictions.
Keep a note of progress.
Lots of praise, encouragement to the child, although aware the child may not like this.

These are of the top of my head and through being a proffessional childcare worker what I would aim to do anyway. But if there are any other ways your LSA could support you let me know.

:)

The best thing my lsa did for my autistic boy is be firm, and stop him behaving badly or disrupting the class. The weak, 'sweet' lsa did him no favours - the single most popular reason for the exclusion of sen kids is disruption/aggression. My lsa wd take him out of class if noisy. I did not want any other mum to complain that my boy was damaging the education of others. Not everyone agrees with being firm with sen kids, often because of misplaced pity, but having low expectations does way more harm to their long-term prospects than the odd firm word now. Good luck: just the fact that you bothered to post here makes me think you will be a great lsa!

Yes I would second all that has just been said. Firm boundaries and high expectations. To enable them to take part in as much as possible within the class. Keep parents informed as much as possible. What they need to do to catch up with the rest of the class. To be clear. To protect the child from less sympathetic teachers who may not be a class teacher so don't understand the child.

I'm a mum to a DS with ASD and a TA (teaching assistant they're all called in my LA) to a child with ASD. You might want to add in your interview that you'd always support the teacher ('cos they hate it if the TA tries to take over.)

Regularly used home school diaries keep the parents informed about what is going on in school as SEN children often don't communicate well to their parents. Entries need to mention the positive and achievements rather than being a list of misbehaviours. Parents can't influence their children's behaviour much at school as consequences need to be immediate and by end of school it's too late! Good to keep singing from same hymnsheet to keep approaches consistent by working with parents.

Make sure you aren't being used by teachers as a photocopying dogsbody. You are there to support that child or his or her small group. Also to supervise rest of cclass so child can have quality time with the teacher. SEN children shouldn't be left soully to a less qualified TA all the time.

Good luck with the interview.