TEACHING ASSISTANT

Handouts

INTRODUCTION
Teaching Assistant are an integral part of the Guiding Principle 5: Standards for Teaching Assistant
educational team. The title of your job helps to roles and professional development assure that they
identify the role of the Teaching Assistant as an active are assigned to positions for which they are qualified
member of the educational team. and have the skills required to assist
teachers/providers to provide quality learning
Teaching Assistant experiences and related services for all children and
Teaching Assistants are school employees who assist youth and their families.
in supporting students under the supervision of a
licensed professional such as a teacher. Guiding Principle 6: Teaching Assistant receive pre-
and in-service professional development provided by
A Teaching Assistant is a school employee who assists the School/agency and opportunities for continuing
and supports teacher–directed instruction (Gerlach, education or career advancement offered by
K., 2001) institutions of higher education.

Essential Skills of A Teaching Assistant Guiding Principle 7: Teachers/providers responsible

To succeed as a Teaching Assistant, you should for supervising the work of Teaching Assistant have
possess the following skills: the skills necessary to plan for, direct, provide on-the-
1. Interpersonal Relationships job training for, monitor, and evaluate the
2. Creativity performance of Teaching Assistant.
3. Organization
4. Patience Guiding Principle 8: Teaching Assistant have an
5. Communication occupational/professional identity and contribute to
6. Numeracy learner centered activities that help to achieve the
7. Team Work mission of the school/agency.
8. Lesson Preparation
9. Taking Direction TA Role and Responsibilities
10. Passion The work performed by Teaching Assistant will vary
11. Flexibility depending upon teachers’ expectations, Teaching
12. Dependability Assistant’s skills and experience, and job assignment.
13. Love of learning
14. Love of children and teenagers Teaching Assistant are primarily responsible for
assisting and supporting teachers, principals, and
Guiding Principles for Teaching Assistant other certified or licensed staff with:
Guiding Principle 1: Skilled Teaching Assistant are
employed to improve the quality of education 1. Team-based assignments.
2. Building and maintaining effective
Guiding Principle 2: Administrators and communication and relationships.
teachers/providers create environments that 3. Maintaining student-centered, supportive
recognize Teaching Assistant as valued team environments.
members and effectively integrate them into teams. 4. Organizing learning experiences for
students.
Guiding Principle 3: Members of all program planning 5. Implementing lessons initiated by the
and implementation teams participate within clearly teacher or related-services personnel.
defined roles in changing, dynamic environments to 6. Assessing student needs and progress under
provide learner-centered and individualized teacher direction.
experiences and services for all children and youth 7. Maintaining a safe learning environment.
and their families. 8. Exercising good judgment, flexibility,
creativity, and sensitivity in response to
Guiding Principle 4: Teaching Assistant are respected changing situations and needs.
and supported in their team roles by policymakers,
administrators, teachers/providers, and families.
i-Connect Global Education
Copyright@2020
Prepared by: Ruben C. Ningasca
 TEACHING ASSISTANT
Handouts

9. Assist in the instructional process and 13. Demonstrate consistency when enforcing
communicating with the teacher their rules and implementing rewards and
perceptions of student progress and needs. consequences.
10. Participate in training to develop the 14. Offer any practical assistance that the
knowledge and skills to become a more teacher deems necessary for the success of
effective Teaching Assistant. the program.
11. Following the school philosophies, 15. Assist substitute teachers with daily routine
guidelines and procedures. and specific needs of the students.
12. Knowing and practicing good professional 16. Demonstrate Professionalism.
ethics.
13. Use good judgment when unusual situations REMEMBER THE THREE Rs.
arise. • Re-teach any material the student does not
14. Teaching Assistant work as part of the understand or need extra help with.
educational team, in a supportive means. • Review to be sure the student understands
15. Your role is not teacher, but assistant. and retains previously taught material.
16. However, in order to be a close working • Re-enforce daily what students know and
team, our duties may sometimes overlap learn.
with the duties of the teacher.
17. As we discussed earlier, the overall What Supervisors Expect from Teaching Assistant
instructional decisions are to be made by the 1. Have a “good attitude” toward the school
teacher. But to establish optimum and its personnel; like and respect children
performance as a team, a specific time and have a desire to work with them.
should be set aside for teachers and 2. Be dependable in promptness and
Teaching Assistant to discuss students’ attendance, reliable in job performance and
needs and to plan strategies. discreet in confidential matters.
3. Be able to assist in the instructional process,
Tips for Teaching Assistant and to share perceptions of student’s
1. Communicate with your teacher on a daily progress and needs.
basis. This is essential in order to build a 4. Be able to perform non-instructional duties
program which addresses the diverse needs such as record keeping, classroom
of students with disabilities. maintenance, preparation of bulletin boards
2. Offer suggestions and ideas. and learning materials.
3. Remember that final decisions are up to the 5. Be able to give help and assistance without
teacher. being asked.
4. Give feedback to the teacher regarding 6. To use good judgment when unusual
student progress and problems. situations arise.
5. Contribute to special class projects and 7. Be a liaison between school and community;
special interest centers. interpret community values and concerns to
6. Ask Questions. If you don’t, others will just the school and those of the school to the
assume you know the answers. community.
7. Work as a team member. Offer to do 8. Participate in training to develop skills and
something to help equalize the workload. become a more effective Teaching Assistant.
8. Be familiar with the academic approach of 9. Believe that the Teaching Assistant and
the teacher. teacher should be a working team.
9. Become familiar with the needs of the
children in the classroom. What Teaching Assistant Expect from Supervisors
10. Be familiar with academic materials and 1. To accept the value of Teaching Assistant in
equipment used in the classroom. education for providing instructional
11. Be sensitive to the feelings of children. assistance as well as community input.
12. Support and respect children and adults at 2. Be sensitive to the feelings and needs of
all times. children.

i-Connect Global Education

Copyright@2020
Prepared by: Ruben C. Ningasca
 TEACHING ASSISTANT
Handouts

3. Provide educational leadership; include me Characteristics of Learner

in the planning, give me meaningful Teaching Assistant need to understand the cognitive,
assignments and clear directions. physical, emotional, and social characteristics that are
4. Explain the rules for student behavior and generally associated with children identified as in
provide support when I am working with need of special education services. Children may
students. exhibit one or more characteristics to varying
5. Give me honest feedback and evaluation of degrees.
my performance in a confidential manner; • Autism (ASD)
praise me for what I do well and offer • Emotional Disability (ED)
suggestions for improvement. • Specific Learning Disability (SLD)
6. Respect my individuality; recognize and • Cognitive Disabilities (CD)
utilize my talents in classroom activities. • Sensory Impairments/ Deaf or Hard of
7. Accept me as a member of the school staff, Hearing
both professionally and socially • Sensory Impairments/Blind or Low Vision
8. Inform me of training opportunities and • Deaf-blind
encourage me to participate. • Developmental Delay
9. Believe that the Teaching Assistant and • Orthopedic Impairment
teacher should be a working team.
• Multiple Disabilities
• Other Health Impairment
Inappropriate Roles for Teaching Assistant
• Language or Speech Disorder
1. Assign final grades, fills in report cards
• Traumatic Brain Injury
2. Make retention and promotion decisions
3. Administer, score and interpret an
Effective Instructional Strategies
assessment instrument that requires
1. Plan for difference among students.
subjective judgment (example: essay tests,
2. Ensure adequate practice time for repetition
diagnostic assessments)
in order to master skills.
4. Assume full responsibility of class for
3. Gain and maintain student attention.
indefinite period of time
4. Engage students in active learning when
5. Make major decisions as to the subject
possible.
matter to be taught
5. Check frequently for understanding.
6. Has the primary responsibility for writing
6. Maintain an interesting pace for instruction.
IEP’s
7. Give immediate feedback to students
7. Teaches academic subject matter to an
(kudos, good job, did you think about this)
entire class, without teacher present
8. Use prompts and cues to redirect student
8. Substitute for certificated teacher, unless
attention to task.
Teaching Assistant is recognized as an official
9. Vary methods to practice skills (use the
substitute by the state
chalkboard, games, pencil/paper, drills)
9. Plan individual daily lessons unless specially
10. Model positive interaction.
trained or program is pre-planned
11. Recognize appropriate behaviors.
10. Consult with other therapists or
12. Praise often.
professionals about a student without
13. Maintain organization to minimize off task
supervisor’s approval
time.
11. Report to parents concerning a child’s
14. Check for understanding when giving
progress without supervisor’s approval
directions.
12. Supervise student teachers
15. Offer a sequence of steps to finish
13. Attends IEP meeting in place of the teacher
assignments.
14. Works without supervision
16. Use graphic organizers.
Makes programmable decisions without supervisor
17. Help students keep track of assignments
approval
18. Model organizational skills for students

i-Connect Global Education

Copyright@2020
Prepared by: Ruben C. Ningasca
 TEACHING ASSISTANT
Handouts

Note:
Health Precautions and First Aid
Remember, there is no one way that is right or Disease Control
wrong when approaching problems. If one • According to the Department of Health and
strategy is not effective, then try another. It will Human Services, the best way to stop
take time to learn about students and what disease is to wash one’s hand well.
strategies work best for them. Remember, doing • Students should be reminded to wash their
tasks for students does not help them in the long hands before eating or drinking, before
run. As Teaching Assistant, we need to provide serving or preparing food, and after they
tools for students to use. As students build have used the toilet.
confidence, many times supports can be reduced. • Children often need to be reminded to cover
their mouths when they cough or sneeze and
Professional and Ethical Responsibilities of Teaching to wash their hands afterwards.
Assistant • When assisting with toileting routines,
1. maintain confidentiality wiping noses, applying pressure to a
2. respect the legal and human rights of bleeding injury or assisting vomiting
children and youths and their families children, Teaching Assistant/Shadow
3. follow school-School policies for protecting Teacher need to use disposable gloves.
the health, safety, and well-being of Disposable gloves will be provided in the
students special education classroom or from the
4. demonstrate an understanding of main office.
distinctions in roles of various educational • Clothing and other non-disposable items,
personnel such as towels used to wipe up body fluid or
5. follow the directions of teachers and other clothes soaked with body fluids, should be
supervisors rinsed and placed in plastic bags. If
6. follow the chain of command for various presoaking is required to remove stains, it is
administrative procedures important to use gloves to rinse or soak
7. demonstrate dependability, integrity, items in cold water prior to bagging to be
respect for individual differences, and other sent home.
standards of ethical conduct
8. participate in staff development activities to Sanitizing
improve performance • The bathroom toilet and table surfaces may
need to be cleaned and sanitized daily using
Confidentiality spray bottle solutions.
Teaching Assistant must comply with strict guidelines • Cleaning solutions such as detergent and
as to how and with whom information is shared. water can be used to clean most surfaces.
Consider the following: • Sanitizing solutions should be used on
• information should be shared only with staff objects contaminated by bodily secretions.
working directly with the student parents • In order to clean and sanitize an area one
requests for information should be referred should spray with cleaning solution, wipe dry
to the supervising teacher with a single disposable towel, spray with
• Teaching Assistant should never discuss sanitizing solution and wipe dry with a
confidential information in the teacher’s separate towel.
lounge • Toys, cups, and other objects are to be
washed in detergent, rinsed in clear warm
• confidential information should never be
water, immersed in sanitizing solution and
shared in any setting other than the school
air-dried.
and never in community social situations.

i-Connect Global Education

Copyright@2020
Prepared by: Ruben C. Ningasca
 TEACHING ASSISTANT
Handouts

i-Connect Global Education

Copyright@2020
Prepared by: Ruben C. Ningasca