Im doing a CACHE Level 3 Diploma at the moment and was wondering what other qualifications i will need to be a TA. I also am interested in going further to be a primary school teacher but im unsure of how many years study or what qualifications il have to go through to get there. If any one can help that will be great :)
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I am currently studying in the U.K. towards my Primary B.Ed degree. It's one of the most rewarding professions out there and I strongly recommend you push yourself to becomming a teacher. It's going to be a lot of hard graft as I'm sure you're aware but the rewards come back in double-time. I'm in year three of four on my course and absolutely love what I'm doing although as you would expect, you need to be dedicated and open to constructive criticism in your practice. Being a T.A. requires less time studying but also be aware that the level of pay reflects this factor. A T.A. will work closely alongside the classroom teacher involved in the day to day management of the classtoom and children as well as aiding pupils with their work. Very often, a T.A. is assigned to a special needs child within the class to work with and concentrate their efforts into motivating them. TAs work in primary, secondary and special schools. Obviously their roles vary depending on the types of school they work in, but generally they can be divided into the following four categories: Supporting children: supervising small groups of children while they work on a task, helping individual children with their work, listening to them read, helping develop their social skills. Supporting the teacher: handling routine classroom administrative duties, helping to manage pupil behaviour around the school, dealing with minor accidents, playground/lunchtime supervision. Supporting the curriculum: this might include supporting children using computers within the school, observing and recording children's progress, supporting children in specific areas of the curriculum. Supporting the school: working with parents and with other professionals. What qualifications will I need? At present no formal qualifications are required, although it can help you to get a job if you have previous experience of voluntary or paid work with children, or if you have completed one of the many courses for teaching assistants which exist across the UK. Most Local Education Authorities (LEAs) will ask new teaching assistants to undergo some form of induction training. This helps make sure they are familiar with the school and are clear about how to support teachers in the vital areas of numeracy, literacy and behaviour. Many schools and LEAs have a range of training programmes, some with external accreditation. These usually include an element of school-based training. National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs) at Levels 2 and 3 for teaching assistants based on the National Occupational Standards are also offered by some schools, LEAs and colleges. http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/parents/life/you_and_school/working_in_schools/training_ta.shtml I once thought about becomming a T.A. rather than a class teacher as the hours are more flexible during term-time (i.e job shares are available as well as 3-day weeks). What swayed me was my time working in a classroom - I just admired the teacher I was assigned to :) You can opt for a 4-year fully-comprehensive degree course at uni resulting in a "Batchelor of Education" degree. This sounds like a long time but I can assure you it has FLOWN past. I have friends also who have gone for the PGCE course lasting a year but you need to have done a degree in something else, i.e. Drama first. I personally think you need the four years to build up your confidence in the classroom and to really get your head around the career. I needed a C grade at GCSE or equivalent in Maths, English and Science and other good grades are beneficial too. These are most important though. Also, I got into uni with CCD in my A-Levels, not the best grades in the world but they got me there! You don't have to have A-levels and your current diploma will stand you in a great place anyway. Usually you are invited to have a look around the uni, then given a quick interview to assess your experience and qualities. If you haven't had much classroom experience I would get out there and volunteer and get as much done as you can. It all helps and looks great on your entry. Good luck! Teaching is amazing. ***
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