Elite Responsibilities Of A Teacher Assistant

Responsibilities of a teacher assistant in a nursery setting

Are you thinking of coming into the teaching profession probably already in and want to refresh your mind and improve your understanding of what you need to do? Whichever way, dive with me.

The term ‘teacher assistant’ covers a varying range of roles and responsibilities. Most times, what you will be doing as a teacher assistant depends on your level of experience, your status as a TA, and the school you work at. the most core of the role is TA provides essential support to teachers in EYFS (Early years foundation Stages) and school settings

Before highlighting some of the responsibilities of a teacher assistant in a nursery setting, I would like to say TA’s responsibilities are Huge, can be stressful ( check out my previous article on how to cope with stress) but rewarding.

Always have in mind that you are not a Glorified nanny, so your role with the children should be different from what their parents or carers do with them at home.

who is a teacher Assistant

In the company where I am working, ‘Teaching assistants are called junior educators (JE)

A teaching assistant or teacher’s aide (TA) or education assistant (EA) oR team teacher (TT) is an individual who assists a teacher with instructional responsibilities.

Teacher assistant responsibilities

- Ensure children’s safety both inside and outside the classroom; carry out a risk assessment.
- Assist teachers with lesson preparation by getting materials ready
- must know about supporting and dealing with children with special needs
- Collaborate with the teacher to recognize issues with any child and discuss a solution, for example, children with challenging behavior (discuss how to manage and promote positive behavior)
- carry out observations on children learning, monitor their progress, areas they need support, and discuss with your teacher
- Must have an understanding of development matters, So you can better support the children in their learning journey ( it will also help you in carryout observations)
- Also, as a TA, you are not only to support the teacher, you are also to teach. As, the word implies, ‘TEACHING ASSISTANT’ if we remove the assistant, it is left with ‘teaching‘ so you are to teach.
- treat children with dignity and respect and also model positive behaviors
- Must be willing to go over and above for the children
- Support each other when covering, have a look at what is going on before exiting the classrooms.
- Work as a team with your teacher and have mutual respect for one another.
- Create display and prepare classroom
- Be willing to share ideas with your colleagues.
- Comply with nursery rules and regulation
- Keep upgrading and improving your skills.

skills and experiences needed

if you will be working one on one or in groups with children with individual needs as some schools employ TA to support children with SEN (special educational needs)

below are the skills you will need;

- Good communication skills
- Ability to build good working relationships with children and adults
- Patience and sense of humor
- Must enjoy working with children
- Flexibility and creativity
- Good literacy and numeracy skills
- Organization skills

Regarding my above statement, ‘ Teacher assistant are not glorified Nannies’

NOTE

Children learn through what they do themselves not, through what you do for them. Thus, as a teaching assistant in nursery settings, allow the children in your care to do what they can by themselves, for example, washing their own hands, putting on their shoes, tidying up a lunch box, tidying up toys, and the likes.

when children do things themselve they are happy,proud of their selves thus help them bloom with confidence.

pictures of children doing things theselves

child washing own hands