Leading And Managing Teaching Assistants

This comprehensive, practical book deals with how to utilise Teaching Assistants effectively. Written by a recognised authority on teaching assistants this supportive and stimulating book is complemented with effective strategies for managing TAs.

There are more than 200,000 teaching assistants(TAs) in the UK. This comprehensive, practical book deals with how to make use of them effectively. Written by a recognised authority on TAs the book investigates the roles of leadership and management the various roles of TAs and what distinguishes them from other support staff the whole-school learning environment Auditing the needs of the school and the needs of the TAs good practice in appointing and developing TAs – technicalities, examples and proforma. using a TA in the classroom - guidance for teachers leading a team of TAs. This supportive and stimulating book is complemented with practical and effective strategies for managing TAs. TAs can contribute to higher standards for pupils, better curriculum delivery, improved work-life balance and effectiveness for teachers and support for whole school policies. Including examples of good practice, real-life accounts, research evidence, sources of help and suggestions for further reading, this book provides all the guidance a manager will need to help them make the best use of their TAs.

This is a practical guide to the role, management, and deployment of teaching assistants. It offers comprehensive and informed support, underpinned by illustrative case studies throughout. Information and practical guidance is given on: the role and competencies of teaching assistants how to audit the existing teaching assistant provision in the school the teaching assistant's role in planning, delivery and feedback how to appoint, induct, mentor and appraise teaching assistants the effective management of teaching assistants by teachers and managers, and the need for a whole school approach opportunities for continual professional development for teaching assistants. This book is based on extensive observation of teaching assistants working in schools, and will have practical significance and implications for headteachers, senior management staff, teachers, LEA advisors, trainers and consultants.

`In my view this book is to be highly recommended, to students, to academics and to managers. Its strengths of style, comparative perspective, and dealing with up-to-date issues make it a valuable text′ - ESClate ′The sequel to the astoundingly accomplished Managing People in Education, this book brings to the reader the latest developments and research in management considering the role of people in schools and colleges against an astute exploration of the key concepts in governance. Tony Bush and David Middlewood help the reader to consider the ways in which individuals function within the workplace, and explore the effective management of the people who comprise the workforce in schools and colleges. There is an impressive use and interpretation of the international research literature, and the authors apply this with considerable insight to the British context of schooling and management. This is an essential read for all those following postgraduate course s in management and governance, and for students of social policy who are taking options in educational studies′ - Professor John Doyle, International Journal of Educational Management and Administration ′Leading and Managing People in Education is a completely revised and updated version of one of the most influential books in the field. Bush and Middlewood are two of the best, and best known, writers on this topic today. This is one of those rare texts that is capable of being used by both academics and practitioners since it contains that unusual combination of a wealth of scholarship combined with lifetimes of experience in educational leadership and management. School leaders, advisers, University lecturers, and those engaged in courses of further study will all welcome this text. I have no doubt that it will become of the best known and most widely purchased works in the field′ - Mark Brundrett, Professor of Education at the University of Hull Reviews of ′Managing People in Education′, the authors′ previous book: `Aims to enhance management practice in education by presenting research findings and theory from a wide range of contributors′ - Skills and Enterprise Update ′This is indeed a book which could be useful to a much larger readership than the normal closed circle of those working in education′ - Managing Schools Today Building upon the success of the highly regarded and best selling text Managing People in Education this new book covers leadership and management at all human resource levels, and spans the whole spectrum of educational institutions. It is based on the most up -to- date research and literature on this topic and directly meets the needs of practising leaders and managers in education, as well as postgraduate students in educational leadership.

Drawing on the lessons from one of the world’s leading research and development efforts involving teaching assistants (TAs), this book is the authors’ most authoritative text yet on how to design a whole school plan to improve TAs’ deployment, practice and preparedness, and put it into action. The authors use robust theories and original research to explore an innovative and integrated approach to making the most of TAs, and recognising the valuable contributions they make to the classroom and the school. Structured around a unique and empirically sound conceptual framework, this book provides essential principles, practical tools and workable strategies, developed through collaboration with hundreds of UK schools. It focuses on ensuring TAs can thrive in their role, and presents the tools and techniques needed to do so accessibly, and is illustrated with case studies on school and classroom practices. Essential reading for all primary school leaders and SENCOs responsible for training and managing TAs, this book is also a useful resource for teachers and teaching assistants looking to optimise the TAs’ contributions. Used in combination with The Teaching Assistant’s Guide to Effective Interaction, Maximising the Impact of Teaching Assistants in Primary Schools is a comprehensive and unrivalled guide to supporting school workforce improvement.

Teaching assistants have become an integral part of classroom life, yet pioneering research by the authors has shown that school leaders and teachers are not making the most of this valued resource. Results from the Deployment and Impact of Support Staff (DISS) project showed that the more support pupils received from teaching assistants, the less academic progress they made. Yet it is not decisions made by the teaching assistants themselves, but decisions made by school leaders and teachers about how their support staff are used and prepared, which explains these provocative results. Prompted by the wake-up call the DISS project findings provided, this timely book of guidance will help school leaders and teachers in primary and secondary schools improve the way they use teaching assistants, and will add real value to what can be achieved in the classroom. Based on the authors' collaborative work with schools in the Effective Deployment of Teaching Assistants (EDTA) project, this book provides essential, practical tools and classroom-tested strategies that will allow schools to conduct a fundamental review of current practice and provides a framework for reforming teaching assistant deployment and preparation, and the way they interact with pupils. Maximising the Impact of Teaching Assistantsprovides much-needed and well-informed guidance on how to unleash the huge potential of teaching assistants working in schools and is essential reading for all school leaders.

Provides a range of perspectives on key themes, drawing on contrasting examples of practice from different national and cultural settings, mapping the international landscape of leadership and management in education.

Making the Most of Your Teaching Assistant is an essential handbook for every SENCo and teacher responsible for managing Teaching Assistants. Based firmly in the classroom and focused on supporting pupil progress it provides clear guidance and practical support in deploying, training and monitoring the effectiveness of Teaching Assistants. This easy-to-use book: sets the current context of the development of the role of Teaching Assistants within that of wider workforce reforms advises on how best to advertise, recruit and interview Teaching Assistants proposes a process for the successful induction of new Teaching Assistants explores a variety of ways in which you can deploy your Teaching Assistants, emphasizing the importance of teamwork and defining roles and responsibilities suggests how schools can monitor and evaluate the impact of the work of their Teaching Assistants on the academic and social progress of all their pupils provides forms and other resources that can be photocopied and used immediately to support the work of Teaching Assistants gives many examples of current best practice with scenarios and case studies based on real events in real schools. This book is an invaluable source of information and advice for class teachers and leadership teams who seek to make the most effective use of the teaching assistants in their schools to support the teacher, the learning, the curriculum, and the school as a whole. Trainee and new teachers will find the book an invaluable resource in preparing to work alongside and manage teaching assistants in their classrooms.