Anyone a teaching assistant/HLTA

[happy days]

Hello Everyone

I am interested in becoming a teaching assistant. Does anyone have any advice on how i go about it?

Thanks

 

[MrsT&Ben]

Do you have any quals related to becoming a ta??

 

[happy days]

No I don't.

x

 

[sunshine114]

I would recommend that the first thing you should do is go into schools and get some voluntary experience.
I'm a teacher, but I know TA jobs aren't easy to come by, especially with all the budget cuts, schools are cutting back. Where once every class had a TA, now one TA is shared over several classes. Having a good chunk of volunatary experience will give you a good start, and it will also get you 'known' as it were. In my experience, if a school does need to appoint a TA then it is usually someone they already know.
Colleges do various courses - there are NVQs (I think!!) in being a Teaching Assistant, it would be best to look at the prospectuses for your local colleges. HLTA courses are something different - I don't know much about them.

Good luck

 

[RachA]

I echo sunshine.

Being a TA is something I'm looking at doing and currently I'm a parent helper at my sons school. Quite often, if the school is interested in you, you can do the qualification along side working as a parent helper or even as a TA. volunteering in a school helps to towards the hours you have to do while you are on the course.

Usually the HLTA is something that is done once you have already been working as a TA for a while.

 

[MrsT&Ben]

The best thing to do is find a voluntary post at a school then contact your local college/training provider. You will need to be doing a minimum of 10 hours a week in order to gain an NVQ (or diploma as they are now called). The course may be free but it all depends on your previous quals. You'll be assessed in the work place so shouldn't have to attend college. Good luck it's a very sort after qual in my area

 

[chelle7]

I would recommend that the first thing you should do is go into schools and get some voluntary experience.
I'm a teacher, but I know TA jobs aren't easy to come by, especially with all the budget cuts, schools are cutting back. Where once every class had a TA, now one TA is shared over several classes. Having a good chunk of volunatary experience will give you a good start, and it will also get you 'known' as it were. In my experience, if a school does need to appoint a TA then it is usually someone they already know.
Colleges do various courses - there are NVQs (I think!!) in being a Teaching Assistant, it would be best to look at the prospectuses for your local colleges. HLTA courses are something different - I don't know much about them.

Good luck

I am a teacher too and agree with the above. Most of the TA's we have appointed have been ones that have come in and worked voluntarily then applied when a position has become available