1. Working with other adults. Working with parents.
December 3rd 2014
Catherine Glantz

2. Objectives
Be able to reflect on the ways you use your TA and other adults you work alongside and help you to add value to your teaching
Be able to work in partnerships with parents with a shared goal of improving progress for children.

3. Who are other adults?
TAs
HLTAs
Volunteers

4. Group task
In groups discuss tasks that you allocate to your TA. Record the tasks on sugar paper.
Feedback
How many of these move children's learning forward/ has the most impact? Discuss.

5. The TA Role… Their role is to help “Raise standards” by:
Support for the pupil.
Support for the teacher.
Support for the curriculum.
Support for the school.
Support staff can help to:
Raise the performance of individual pupils
Provide coping strategies for pupils
Assist in management of pupils behaviour
Promote pupils’ independence
Support the development of differentiated curricular approaches to meet the diversity of pupils’ learning needs

6. Teachers’ Standards – 2012 and Ofsted 2013
Teaching Standards 2012: Two key strands of wider professional responsibilities:
Develop effective professional relationships with colleagues, knowing how and when to draw on advice and specialist support (8)
Deploy support staff effectively.(8)
OFSTED Guidance 2013:
Outstanding Lesson: Teachers and other adults generate high levels of engagement and commitment to learning across the whole school.
Good Lesson: Teachers and other adults create a positive climate for learning in their lessons and pupils are interested and engaged.

7. Group Task
Bearing in mind OFSTED criteria and TA standards , what do you think your role is in ensuring these are met?
Feedback

8. DISS study ( The deployment and impact of support staff 2003-2008)
Preparedness
Practice
( Maximises The Impact Of Teacher Assistants)

9. Preparedness- Communication
It is important that teachers and TAs have the opportunity for communication before lessons and for feedback afterwards.

10. Group task
Consider barriers and solution to preparedness and record on sugar paper.
Rotate to each table, read the list and add possible solutions.

11. Preparedness
Barriers
Solutions

12. Preparedness hand out
Complete hand out on your own.( pre – lesson preparation and post- lesson preparation)
This is not for sharing but for you to reflect on your practice, bearing in mind the OFSTED criteria.
Is your TA prepared?
How could you improve this?

13. Audit

14. Sharing Learning objectives and outcomes
The TA needs to be clear about the learning objectives and learning outcomes for the lesson, ideally through a brief discussion with the teacher and possibly sharing the planning. She/he also needs to understand the ‘big picture’. How does this link with and build on previous learning? Where does it fit in? Where will the learning go next?
I didn’t understand what the task was about. Sometimes I don’t know what the class are supposed to be learning and I leave the lesson quite confused, never mind the pupils!
A key characteristic of AfL is that it involves sharing learning objectives and outcomes with pupils.
Clear and precise learning objectives help pupils know what they are trying to learn. Clear and precise
intended learning outcomes help pupils recognise achievement.

15. Preparedness- Planning
You will need to ensure that you plan lessons with an awareness of what it is you specifically want them to do.
Lesson plans should make your intentions explicit
Your overview of the curriculum, extent of any unit of work, and the sequential development of concepts and understanding, all contribute to an understanding of a lesson plan.
OFSTED inspectors expect you to be clear about what you want pupils to learn, and TAs must know to.

16. Partnerships
Be clear about the role you want the TA to take in your lessons, whom they are to support, which tasks they are to support, and what the expected outcomes are. Share lesson plans
Share any strategies, techniques or key vocabulary you want TAs to use by modelling them to your whole- class teaching.

17. Modelling good communication skills in the classroom - YouTube

18. Interventions
As an NQT you need to be familiar with how interventions are run in your school.
Different models in each school.
Pre teaching and over learning to address misconceptions from the morning/ bespoke interventions / commercial interventions
The message remains the same TAs need to be prepared and have an understanding of the programmes.
Interventions must close the gaps in learning
Normally reviewed every 6 weeks.
TAs must feedback to the class teacher
Good communication is crucial

19. Deployment
Use your TA in all parts of the lesson to take learning forwards.

20. During ‘Whole Class’ Teaching…
The teacher should designate where the TA would be best, it might be that there are groups that do not need the input of others and might be able to split into a group… it might be that the TA can scaffold what the teacher is saying to specific groups/individual pupils…
Ensure the TA knows where they are supposed to be.
Identify key pupils/groups and make them accessible to the TA
Don’t expect a TA to keep children focused when the time is too long or the activity is inappropriate.
Use the TA as a role model – demonstrating appropriate behaviour. Don’t allow the TA to distract the pupils – identify when they should intervene.
Indicate that the TA should focus on the PUPILS not you as the teacher – they should already have ‘learnt’ what the lesson is about and shouldn’t need the input!
Model with your TA

21. Small Group/Independent Work
Again, it is the teachers role to ensure TAs know what is expected of them AND the pupils.
Make sure the assistant knows where to work with the child or group and what resources they will need (in advance!)
Ensure that the assistant knows why they are working with a child or group and what support to give (are they observing? facilitating? monitoring?)
If they are monitoring/working with a group they should be expected to keep records of pupils progress as evidence to relay back to the teacher.
Ensure again that the assistant knows the LEARNING OBJECTIVE – this isn’t the same as the activity, how will the assistant know if the pupil is successful (success criteria?)
The assistant might worry that the purpose is completing the task, good communication regarding the objective/success criteria will allow them to focus on the learning rather than getting finished!
Give them extension work/key questions to allow them to assess correctly the group they are working with.

22. Caution You may have a very experienced TA
Strike a balance between directing your TA / listening to your TA
You need to maintain a professional relationship and ‘direct’ your TA.

23. Group Work
Discuss how you could use your TA in plenaries.
Feedback

24. Reflection time Complete the ‘deployment questionnaire’
This is time for you to reflect
Share with your group if you wish
Changes you may need to make to your planning? Deployment of your TA?

25. Deployment questionnaire

26. The ‘Velcro’ approach
The ‘Helicopter’
The ‘Bridge Builder’

27. Supporting Techniques…
In-class support staff do not always permanently attach themselves to a child, instead adopting one or more of the following models with agreement of teaching staff and/or after discussion in planning process:
Relaying – in-class support staff move periodically between children identified as being priorities for support due to additional needs.
Zoning – in-class support staff locate themselves near a group of children with additional needs, monitoring and providing input when necessary.
Coaching – in-class support staff are temporarily assigned to an individual or small group of children to guide them through a task that may prove particularly difficult (such as an extended writing or reading task when there are literacy difficulties).
Facilitating – in-class support staff provide ‘drop-in support’ by setting up assistive technology or other specialised equipment in the classroom, adapting resources, helping a child to organise coursework / homework etc.
Supervising – in-class support staff oversee the higher-ability / independent learners
Safeguarding – in-class support staff monitor, and where necessary, assist in activities that pose a manageable risk to the health and safety of a child with an additional need, particularly those with visual impairment, a medical condition or a physical disability.

28. Avoiding… Emphasising task completion Closing talk down
Over-prompting (spoonfeeding)
Over-controlling
Inaccuracies
Inadequate thinking and response time
Getting in way of peer interaction

29. Things TAs find challenging…
Working with an unprepared teacher.
Being expected to manage behaviour on my own.
Not knowing what I have to do or where I’m supposed to be.
Lack of communication about changes or resources.
Being expected to make resources for specific pupils on the spot.

30. Things TAs like…
Being given a lesson plan with clear instructions.
Being given the opportunity to discuss the pupils’ learning after the lesson.
Being able to use initiative but have guidance if needed.
Communication in advance about the lesson and future lessons.
Working with different types of pupils (not just SEN).

31. In summary…
The role of the Teaching Assistant is very important. The effective deployment of support staff can make the difference between a child succeeding or failing. Much of the Teaching Assistant’s role is directed by the teacher, but an outstanding TA is also intuitive and responds to the needs of the children.
It is important that both teacher and Teaching Assistant work together with the aim that all the children in the class are learning throughout the lesson. Children should make progress through suitably challenging activities and questioning. Thinking time is good; down time is not.

32. Next steps Plan to meet with TA Set ground rules
Set time for formal discussion
Agree TA action in each part of lesson
Reconsider class groupings
Identify TAs within planning

33. Break

34. Working with parents Teaching standard 8
Communicate effectively with parents with regard to pupils’ achievements and well-being.

35. Partnership with parents

36. Group activity
Why is it important to have a positive relationship with parents?
Feedback

37. Group activity
What is your role as a class teacher in building positive relationships?
Feedback

38. Research
“A positive parent-teacher relationship helps your child feel good about school and be successful in school,” advises Diane Levin, Ph.D., professor of education at Wheelock College. “It demonstrates to your child that he can trust his teacher, because you do. This positive relationship makes a child feel like the important people in his life are working together.”

39. “The parents need information about what and how their child is learning, and the teacher needs important feedback from the parent about the child’s academic and social development”

40. Class teacher responsibility
Always remember that you are responsible for pupil progress, behaviour, attendance and safety.
Keep parents informed
Don’t wait until parent consultations
Work in partnership with parents to address any issues as soon as they arise
Take advice from colleagues ( teaching standard 8-develop effective professional relationships with colleagues, knowing how and when to draw on advice and specialist support )

41. Building positive relationships
Good communication( about their child, school, informed of key dates for events in school)
Involved in child’s work- reading, homework
Volunteers – occasionally such as school trips, regularly helping in the classroom
Use the skills of parents to enhance the curriculum( Can be a hidden resource)
Workshops for parents
Attending school events – assemblies, coffee mornings

42. Communication Meetings-parents consultations Books- home school books
Letters
Phone calls s
Parent texts
After school/ before school meetings
Check school procedures and policies!!

43. Family Workers To communicate / break down barriers
Provide groups and involve in school – family learning , toddler groups, parenting classes
Home visits with Family Workers( follow school procedures)

44. Group task
In groups discuss reasons for holding a meeting with parents?
Feedback
Remember: always follow
school procedures and policies.
How can you safeguard yourself in parent meetings? Feedback

45. ‘Hard to reach parents’
What do we mean by this phrase?
Why might this be?
How might you overcome these barriers?
Feedback

46. Parent meetings- listening
Group task- listening exercise. Discuss your journey to The Leagrave this morning. In triads. A=listens B= Speaks C=observes
A clearly does not listen!
C to feedback
Swap
Feedback

47. Parent meetings
Repeat / paraphrase what the parent has said to show understanding and empathy
Group task- paraphrasing exercise. Discuss your favourite film / book. In triads. A=paraphrases B= speaks C=observes
Swap
Feedback

48. Parent meetings Agree on actions (school, parent, child)
Always follow up (phone call, , another meeting) Check which method the parent prefers and check school procedures / policies.

49. Teachers TV: Communicating with Parents - Resources - TES

50. Final tips! Hopefully given you lots to reflect upon.
Check school policies and procedures
Seek advice from colleagues
Keep smiling!!!
Thank-you!
Catherine Glantz