Profession primary school teaching assistant

Primary school teaching assistants provide instructional and practical support to primary school teachers. They reinforce instruction with students in need of extra attention and prepare the materials the teacher needs in class. They also perform clerical work, monitor the students' learning progress and behaviour and supervise the students with and without the head teacher present.

Personality Type

• Social / Conventional

Knowledge

• Primary school procedures

  The inner workings of a primary school, such as the structure of the relevant education support and management, the policies, and the regulations.

Skills

• Implement care programmes for children

  Perform activities with children according to their physical, emotional, intellectual and social needs by using appropriate tools and equipment that facilitate interaction and learning activities.

• Manage student relationships

  Manage the relations between students and between student and teacher. Act as a just authority and create an environment of trust and stability.

• Encourage students to acknowledge their achievements

  Stimulate students to appreciate their own achievements and actions to nurture confidence and educational growth.

• Attend to children's basic physical needs

  Tend to children by feeding them, dressing them, and, if necessary, regularly changing their diapers in a sanitary manner.

• Maintain students' discipline

  Make sure students follow the rules and code of behaviour established in the school and take the appropriate measures in case of violation or misbehaviour.

• Give constructive feedback

  Provide founded feedback through both criticism and praise in a respectful, clear, and consistent manner. Highlight achievements as well as mistakes and set up methods of formative assessment to evaluate work.

• Perform playground surveillance

  Observe students' recreational activities to ensure student safety and well-being and intervene when necessary.

• Support the positiveness of youths

  Help children and young people to assess their social, emotional and identity needs and to develop a positive self image, enhance their self esteem and improve their self reliance.

• Observe student's progress

  Follow up on students’ learning progress and assess their achievements and needs.

• Provide lesson materials

  Ensure that the necessary materials for teaching a class, such as visual aids, are prepared, up-to-date, and present in the instruction space.

• Assist in children's development of basic personal skills

  Encourage and facilitate the development of children's natural curiosity and social and language abilities through creative and social activities such as storytelling, imaginative play, songs, drawing, and games.

• Manage children's problems

  Promote the prevention, early detection, and management of children`s problems, focusing on developmental delays and disorders, behavioural problems, functional disabilities, social stresses, mental disorders including depression, and anxiety disorders.

• Assist students with equipment

  Provide assistance to students when working with (technical) equipment used in practice-based lessons and solve operational problems when necessary.

• Guarantee students' safety

  Ensure all students falling under an instructor or other person’s supervision are safe and accounted for. Follow safety precautions in the learning situation.

• Support children's wellbeing

  Provide an environment that supports and values children and helps them to manage their own feelings and relationships with others.

• Prepare youths for adulthood

  Work with children and young people to identify the skills and abilities they will need to become effective citizens and adults and to prepare them for independence.

• Provide teacher support

  Assist teachers in classroom instruction by providing and preparing lesson materials, monitoring the students during their work and helping them in their learning where necessary.

• Assist students in their learning

  Support and coach students in their work, give learners practical support and encouragement.

Optional knowledge and skills

Source: Sisyphus ODB