3 things to do if you’re a TA who wants to teach
For three years, I worked as a teaching assistant. It was doing this job that gave me the tools to set out my stall as a teacher.
From leading small-group interventions, to learning about a whole dictionary of learning disabilities, to seeing behaviour management strategies in action...I gained so much from my time as a TA.
Looking back, I can see that those experiences helped to create my teaching framework.
It makes sense, therefore, that becoming a TA is a popular stepping-stone for those thinking about becoming a teacher. The TA role often includes a slice of every part of school culture, and you have a chance to work on the art of building relationships.
But sadly, not all schools see their TAs as valuable resources, and it is sometimes the case that TAs are completely overlooked within schools.
Not receiving clear communication from practitioners, or seeing the surprised, unprepared face of a teacher when you walk through the classroom door is extremely demoralising for a TA.
If you want to use this role as a springboard into teaching you’ll need to be proactive. This will help get you noticed and therefore invited to CPD events.
To really stand out, I would recommend the following three steps:
1. Become one of the department
Get yourself into department meetings. Email, or better yet, talk directly to heads of department and enquire into when and where they hold weekly meetings and ask if you can join.
This will expose you to how meetings are run, will get you in touch with teachers you may have not worked with before and will give you the opportunity to put your own thoughts forward regarding the students you are responsible for. HODs are often thankful for the input.
2. Offer your expertise
Volunteer yourself to lead an Inset day lecture. Got a great idea that you think the school can implement easily? Create a Power Point presentation and tell everyone about it on an Inset day.
This will raise the profile of teaching assistants within your school and get you used to talking to large groups -- something you will encounter need to be comfortable with later in your career. This step feels and sounds daunting, but after taking the leap myself, I can assure you, it’s worth it.
3. Get involved with students
A great way to prepare for the pastoral life of a teacher is to be a student advocate. Celebrating the successes of students is critical for both TA and teacher.
During your teacher training, your mind and time will be consumed by thinking about pedagogical methods, lesson plans, assignments and marking. Therefore it’s really worth getting into the habit of making positive phone calls home and working with parents as much as possible beforehand.
Jason Gillman is a former TA and current student teacher of English at the University of Bristol. He tweets @jason_gillman
