I teach kindergarten in a suburban school district. During the course of my twenty-year career, I have had the opportunity to work with various teaching assistants. I have strived to make this a beneficial experience for both the children and my self.

The most important point is to establish a good working relationship with your assistant. While it is not imperative that you become social acquaintances, a sincere yet professional rapport should be created for a positive experience, this will also make it easier to resolve any difficulties.
Before school start, meet with your assistant – perhaps for lunch or a cup of coffee. Ask about family, past work experiences, hobbies, trips – just us you would when meeting a new colleague, neighbor, or friend. Share some of your personal background, including of your strengths as a teacher. Us this time to show a sincere interest in her as a person and discover interests or strengths that your assistance might share in the classroom at some point.

It is important to set a framework, if your district doesn’t  have a job description for your assistant. Then you need to created one. Include the amount of time she will be working with the children versus doing clerical duties, delegation of authority in the classroom, work schedule, evaluation system, and confidentiality expectations. It is also wise to share your educational philosophy and style of discipline.

It is essential to show your assistant respect in the classroom:
-    notice the good things and give sincere compliments, when they are deserved.
-    Share important school memos about upcoming events, policies, school newsletters, and the like.
-    Create a working space in the room of your assistant to keep notes, binders, books, and other school-job-related materials.
-    Post her name text to yours of doors, bulletin boards, and so on.
-    Introduce your assistant to parents via your newsletters, open house, or other means.
-    Make sure your assistant is part of the class photo for the school memory book.
-    Keep the line communication open – ask about her weekend, ask for an opinion about a classroom situation, and so forth.
-    Share articles from professional journals or notice about upcoming conferences that might be of.
-    Be realistic in your expectations. If your assistant doesn’t understand a concept or method, model the technique in a nonthreatening manner.
-    Let’s your assistant know your daily plans for the classroom in a informal planning session or in a written memo.

If a problem does arise, be honest and set time to talks things over. State the problem and listen to her response, but make sure your views are known, too if the problem cannot be resolved call an a third party such as your principal. In the rare circumstance that an aide performs an undesirable behavior that is harmful to the children, make sure to document it as accurately and objectively as possible.

If your district requires a formal evaluation of your assistant, discuss the procedure with her, be sure to provide reasons for your ratings and give your assistant a chance to respond.

I have been fortunate to have my present assistant for the past five years. The children see us as a unified team. It takes time and commitment to make our relationship work, but it is well worth the energy. It makes both of our jobs more satisfying. In turn, we feel that we are providing our students with the best teaching possible. And isn’t that the point of education?

A Teacher SPEAKS: The relationship between teacher and teaching assistants
Margaret Egenhoefer. Dixon Elementary School, New Berlin, Wisconsin.
Reference, Brewer Jo An (2007), Introduction to Early Childhood Education: Preschool Through Primary Grades, Pearson: USA P-261.

 

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