Joe Murray Consulting Working effectively with teaching assistants Annual Secondary Mathematics...

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Institute of Education report (2009) “invaluable resource” more time was spent supporting the school than pupils secondary TAs “roved around the class”; primary level support staff tended to “work with groups of pupils”. Prompted more-active and sustained interactions with pupils offer specialist help, allowing more teaching, affecting HTs and maths SLs: subject knowledge training, regional networks and training for HLTAs & teachers to work together more efficiently Joe Murray Consulting

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Joe Murray Consultingjoe1013@sky.com

   

Working effectively with teaching assistants

Annual Secondary Mathematics Conference National STEM Centre, University of York

Thursday 21st June 2012

Objectives• Examine what TAs currently do in school / in

mathematics lessons?• Examine TAs’ impact children’s learning?• To enable teachers to improve their ability to manage

and use teaching assistants effectively• To identify good practice in the management and

deployment of teaching assistants.• To identify priorities and formulate actions to address

them.

Joe Murray Consultingjoe1013@sky.com

Institute of Education report (2009)

• “invaluable resource”• more time was spent supporting the school than pupils• secondary TAs “roved around the class”; primary level support

staff tended to “work with groups of pupils”.• Prompted more-active and sustained interactions with pupils• offer specialist help, allowing more teaching, affecting

HTs and maths SLs: • subject knowledge training,• regional networks and training for HLTAs & teachers to work

together more efficiently

Joe Murray Consultingjoe1013@sky.com

NCETM portal: HLTA forum

Subject Leaders: • “subject input they offer” • “knowledge of pupils’ progress”

HLTAs: • “support needed from maths SLs”, • “improved acceptance” • “Pedagogy CPD: courses aimed at KS4”

Joe Murray Consultingjoe1013@sky.com

What do we want TAs to do?

• Help slow learners• Teach small groups• “mind” difficult children• Maintain wall displays• Printing & copying• Cutting out / laminating materials• Extra tuition for more-able• Supporting assessment

Joe Murray Consultingjoe1013@sky.com

How effective are TAs in mathematics?

Group task / discussion

[5 minutes]

Joe Murray Consultingjoe1013@sky.com

Sutton Trust

• duties differ dramatically from school to school, • main tasks tend to be working with small groups of children who

need extra support• helping teachers’ preparation [photocopying, sorting equipment, etc]• very small or no effects on attainment [though pupils’ perceptions and

attitudes more positively affected]• positive effects in terms of teacher morale and reduced stress • implication is that if teaching assistants are used with the intention of

improving the learning of pupils, they should not undertake the tasks they are routinely assigned.

• greater impact when TAs are given a particular pedagogical role in specific curriculum interventions ..... particularly with training and support

Joe Murray Consultingjoe1013@sky.com

Sutton Trust

Joe Murray Consultingjoe1013@sky.com

Low cost High cost

Low impact

Parental involvementAbility groupingBlock scheduling and timetablingSchool uniformsLearning styles

Summer schoolsAssessment for learningReducing class sizesTeaching assistants

High impact

Effective feedbackMeta-- cognition & self-‐regulation strategiesPeer tutoring / peer assisted ‐learningHomework

Early interventionOne to one tutoring ‐ ‐ICT

TAs in mathematics: the future?

• It is essential that their skills and talents are used to the full and deployed in the best ways.

• Is school fully matching maths department’s needs with skills of TAs; especially where TAs managed by SENCO.

• A key priority is to develop consistent, effective deployment practices to make the most of the department team

• Specialist maths TA??• Training???

Joe Murray Consultingjoe1013@sky.com

Developing effective TAs in mathematics

• Line management?• Audit provision

• Subject knowledge• Pedagogy• NCETM support

“Other Adults.....” micro-site Self-evaluation tools

Joe Murray Consultingjoe1013@sky.com

“TAs and Other Adults..” micro-site

NCETM portal• Resources• Micro-sites• “Teaching Assistants and Other Adults.....”

Advice and resources Case studies Video case studies CPD activities

Joe Murray Consultingjoe1013@sky.com

Self-evaluation tools

NCETM portal• Personal Learning

Self-evaluation toolsSubject knowledge Pedagogy Embedding

• Tick-box assessment• Competency graph• Advice and sources

Joe Murray Consultingjoe1013@sky.com

Personal Learningthe Self Evaluation Tools

Content knowledge Pedagogy Embedding in practice

enhanced ‘next steps’

hundreds of pages of steps to explore if teachers identify that they need work in understanding some aspect of mathematics or mathematics pedagogy

Action planning

Identify 3 key actions that you and/or Maths SL to enhance teaching assistants work:

teaching and learningplanningassessmentapproach providing CPD for TAs?

Joe Murray Consultingjoe1013@sky.com

Possible actions immediately

Some actions you may wish to take immediately:• Ask your subject leader to put the role of teaching assistants on the

agenda for the next departmental meeting.• Talk to the lead intervention teacher for English about their use of

teaching assistants.• Ensure that the department has copies of the relevant extracts of

documents relating to teaching assistants• Audit provision

Joe Murray Consultingjoe1013@sky.com

Possible actions within a term / year• Action plan based on the audit in collaboration with your subject

leader• Lead other key staff in the department through ideas from this

workshop• Discuss the role of teaching assistants with your lead intervention

manager and secure support for the action plan

• Manage the implementation of the action plan in collaboration with your subject leader.

• Meet the lead intervention manager regularly to update him/her on progress

Joe Murray Consultingjoe1013@sky.com

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