Session 1
From Usefulwiki
Contents |
Introduction
10 - 10:30
- Introductions
- Ice breaker
- Brief overview of course and desired learning outcomes, theirs and mine.
- A brief introduction to adult learning
- Paperwork.
Learning Objectives for today:
- The students will have an understanding of the overall shape of the course.
- The students will start to be able to identify a range of roles, duties and responsibilities undertaken by teaching assistants.(Unit 01 1.1.1)
- The students will be able to compare their roles in relation to their own and others settings (Unit 01 1.1.1)
- The students will understand how to keep a learning journal and will start to explore how this will impact on their own learning. (Unit 01 1.1.3)
Exploring Contexts
10:30 - 11:10 As a group watch the three videos then working in groups with the transcripts note
- where the teaching assistants are working
- what kind of support they are giving
- Similarities and differences to your own experiences and settings.
Group Discussion
- Are teaching assistants mainly there to improve standards?
- What other roles do they have?
Explore these questions as a group, make whiteboard notes of our conclusions (if possible use a usefulwiki page )
Transcript1.pdf Transcript2.pdf Transcript3.pdf
Coffee
11:10- 11:25
Giving Support
11:25- 11:45
Who do you support? The pupils? The teachers? Everybody?
Short group discussion
How does your role differ from the teacher's?
Further discussion
How does this work in your context?
Looking at a day in the life
11.45 - 12:15
- Play One September Day
Talk through the Identified Skills Set pdf.
Discuss the need to think analytically about your own practice. "Your knowing is in your doing" Now we need to articulate, to put it into words. This can be an uncomfortable process.
The Ladder of Conscious Competence
1. Unconscious incompetence
- I don't understand or know how to do something, I don't recognise that I need to know.
2. Conscious incompetence
- I don't understand or know how to do something, but I do recognise that I need to know
3. Conscious competence
- I understand or know how to do something. But doing it or using the knowledge requires a great deal of concentration.
4. Unconscious competence
- I have had so much practice with a skill that it is "second nature" and can be performed easily without concentrating too deeply. I can also teach it to others.
Moving on to:
Introduce Reflection and the Learning Journal
12:15 - 12:30
Although the course talks about using and submitting a learning journal, it is for you and for your learning. Your learning journal is where you are going to record things that strike you as important in the course of the day. You need to choose a format and a way of keeping it that suits you. Some people use a small notebook to take quick notes during the course of the day, just to record the incident. Others write it up at the end of the day.Try different ways of doing it till you find what works best.
What you are looking for is anything that strikes you as important for your learning or when you have an "aha" moment where you suddenly realise something. Don't worry too much about getting it right just do it. It gets easier.
You can use the format:
Learning Journal Page
| What? | So What | Now What? | |
| Brief note on what happened, where, when, your feelings, those of others | Explain why it's important. Try to identify what you have learned. | Identify what action you need to take as a result,(e.g. change your behaviour, improve your subject knowledge base, change your behaviour management technique) |
Things to Remember
- Don't identify individuals by name - respect their right to privacy.
- The focus is on you and your learning
- You are going to use this to help you write your assignments.
- It is to make your life easier, it's not meant to be a chore.
Books and things needed for the course
12:30 - 12:45
Show and hand round some recommended books
If you can possibly buy one consider buying The Teaching Assistants Handbook by Louise Burnham
Show and hand round copies of Learning Support magazine, suggest asking heads or SENCOs to order it
Explaining the need for a ring binder for the portfolios
Talking about the need to access a computer and that basic computer skills are needed.
Explain that these usefulwiki.com notes will be available for access between sessions.
Discuss use of email to provide support to each other between sessions.
Collect e-mail addresses and introduce the idea of an e-group eg Google groups.
Homework and any individual questions
12:45- 1:00
For next week bring your file with
- A copy of your job description and any TA guidelines used by your school.
- A filled in Day in the Life sheet
- A list of the skills and qualities you needed during that day, identifying any points at which you felt out of your depth/stressed.
(if none from that day then bring examples from your personal learning journal)
Next Week
Next week we are going to look in depth at barriers to learning and equal opportunities. We will also use your learning journals to help you start to produce a personal 'skills audit'.
