Teachers - what do you like from and ANA in your classroom?

[Ohshit9]

I've recently started a new job as an ANA in a secondary school. I'm really enjoying it so far - it's new to me so still finding my feet and learning the ropes. All the teachers whose classes I've been in so far have been lovely.

In some classes I am with one child, others several, and some it's just the class in general.

As a teacher taking a class, what would you say makes a good ANA? Some teachers have given me specific instructions (which is great) others seem happy to leave me to my own devises, which is when I feel a but useless sometimes if the child/children are getting on well with their work.

Thanks

What is an ANA?

Additional needs assistant 😊

Don t talk when the teacher is explaining a task to the class. Don t check your phone and reply to messages during class. I always give the classroom assistants a heads up on the lesson. They are also most useful when once they have checked their own pupil is fine they will also circulate and check the others too. My school has some fantastic CAs but those first 2 points really irritate me and disrupt the flow of the lesson. Good luck

Thanks Swashbuckle cheer. I don't take my phone in with me, so that's not a problem.

As a new teacher, if you tell me what works well for you with other teachers, I'd be happy to try and do that! I didn't get much experience working with classroom assistants during my training year, so it's a learning curve for me this year! I also usually have answers to a task available somewhere, which I'd be happy to show you/send to you in advance.

If you're able to chat to teachers where you think things aren't working so well, you might find that some of them are happy to have suggestions?

In secondary, one thing that really helps is if you can be the expert on the child and their needs, while I'm being the expert in my subject.
So tell me what I can do to help them, or organise it yourself if that's possible. And let me know what their needs are and how available that makes you. So one lesson you might be required to stick to the child like glue, another child may only need you to 'check in' now and again do you can circulate a bit and support some of the others. It can be useful at times for me to work directly with the child with additional needs whilst you 'field' queries from the rest of the class for a few minutes. This may not seem like your role but it can be of even more benefit to the child.

In terms of what not to do... don't try to take over, don't talk over me, and please don't look bored, even if you are!

Good luck with your new position, I hope it goes well for you!