Sunday, April 3, 2011

Advice On Seeking For A Teaching Assistant

By Michael M. Jenkins


Most often professors and teachers do engage teaching assistants to help out in the class. In such cases it becomes important that both you and the assistant are in sync with each other and on the same wavelength so that both of you know what is required to be done so that the pupils are benefited.

As teacher you should always remember that you are in charge of the class and the responsibility lies with you. The assistant is only supposed to be your aid and work under your guidance and directions. She will not be equipped to take over as a teacher at any point of time.

For the teacher and the assistant to work as a team, it takes a while. In the beginning they may not know each other well and so it shows, but after a while each one knows the strength and weakness of one another and covers up well to manage the class.

You can include your assistant and work together in preparing the plan, the lessons as well as the assignments and projects so that there is no gap in communication.

You can even give some small assignments or independent charge of functions to the assistant to train them better.

Make it a point to go through with your assistant on the proposed projects, lessons and the subjects as well as the resources and aids so that both of you are better prepared to handle the class. Once done, always review the performance to see where the gaps are and what can be improved for the next time. It is important that you thank your assistant and appreciate the good work put in before the entire class.

When you show respect and the right attitude, your students will automatically learn to behave in the same manner. Having control is important since they are at a very impressionable age.

As a good teacher you should always be open to suggestions and invite your assistant to participate with her own ideas and bring about new changes too.

You should always remember to give assignments to your assistant in small bits and pieces and do not over load him or her. If they are overworked they will stop being so focused on work and instead become distracted and turned off. If they fail to deliver as per expectations then it will be your failure too and doesn't help the class at all.




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