Ever thought about how to become a Teaching Assistant or how to get into teaching?
Have you ever thought, “I’d love to help young people learn and be inspired, but I don’t know where to start?”
Have you already had a successful career in a different field and now want to bring those skills to teach?
There are many ways to become a teaching assistant and get into teaching by working in schools without holding Qualified Teacher Status. The blog below explains a little more about the different routes to getting in to becoming a TA and get into teaching:
What about if I have never worked in a school before?
If you have never worked in a school before, a perfect route in may be to start as a Cover Supervisor or a Teaching Assistant.
Don’t just take our word for it…
“I want to say a huge Thank you for putting me on my career path. Within 8 months I’ve gone from a learning support assistant to passing my TA course, to becoming an SEN 1:1, classroom assistant & now a full-time TA. So Thank you for giving me that opportunity. I’ll forever be grateful.”
Cheyenne
Teaching Assistant Suffolk
What is a Teaching Assistant?
A Teaching Assistant (sometimes known as a Classroom Assistant) is a person who supports learners in the classroom, generally in a Primary School key stages.
Often, they will take small groups to support learning in Reading, Writing and Maths and feedback to the Teacher as to how the children have progressed.
Teaching Assistants will also help with setting up the classroom, putting out worksheets and resources and helping clear up.
What do I need to be a Teaching Assistant?
- Have some experience working with children; preferably aged 3-11 years old
- Have some experience supporting children on a one-to-one basis
- Be confident with your behaviour management techniques
- Be flexible; every day will be different!
What experience would make me a great Teaching Assistant?
Having had experience with Primary aged students is really the only essential experience needed. As with Cover Supervisors, this could be through helping with clubs, such as Brownies or Cubs, helping at youth groups or helping at sports clubs.
Generally, being a good Teaching Assistant is down to attitude. Do you have a can-do attitude? Are you keen to work with children? This is what schools are looking for!
I am an experienced Teaching Assistant – what’s the next step for me?
Have you considered training to become a Higher Level Teaching Assistant (HLTA)? Higher Level Teaching Assistants are in schools to support the teacher further than a general Teaching Assistant, and to be more involved in students teaching and learning.
- As a Higher Level Teaching Assistant, you will:
- Be able to promote positive behaviour
- Hold the skills to create positive relationships between young people and staff
- Be able to support child development in schools
- Be able to evaluate learning activities
- Be able to assist the Teacher in ICT, music and other activities.
I worked as a Teacher years ago, can I start as a TA or a Cover Supervisor?
Yes! 4myschools has helped many teachers who qualified years ago gain confidence by initially working as a TA or 1-1 tutor before fully returning to the classroom.
Alternatively, The Department For Education is really keen for teachers to return back to the profession, either if you are returning to teaching or you’re qualified to teach but have never taught in a school. There is support available including one-to-one support from an adviser and free subject specialism training.
To find out more, please see The Department For Education Website: Get Into Teaching
I want to get into teaching – How can 4myschools help me?
4myschools work with Primary and Secondary State Schools, Private Schools, Independent Schools and Academies that are all looking for people like you to take the first steps into a rich and rewarding career in education.
We work with a number of schools that are able to offer voluntary work and training for unqualified teachers and support staff looking to gain more experience. We also work with schools that have training programmes in place for Cover Supervisors and Teaching Assistants to gain more experience in the classroom.
To find out what opportunities are available locally to you, please call 4myschools on 01245 353 808 to speak to one of our friendly consultants!
The easiest way to register with 4myschools is to upload your CV by registering here.
