Teaching Assistant
 

Hi

My wife has been a TA for about 2 years, she is not qualified, she got into it through volunteering at my sons primary school, she loves it and would love to continue this in NZ.

Do schools in NZ have TA's, does anyone have experience of this.

Cheers Jads:thumbsup:

Re: Teaching Assistant
 

Not in the same way that they do in the UK (as in a TA assigned to each classroom) . NZ Schools have what are called 'teacher aides' but these tend to be tied in more with students with various special needs, not as solely an assistant to the teacher. It also means their contracts can be dependant on that child with the extra needs being at the school. Sometimes schools require qualifications if it is a high needs child but others don't.

However, bigger schools will often have a teachers aide NOT tied into the special/added needs child. They are used more as a UK Teaching Assistant would be used but over the entire school (or syndicate eg the 10-12yr olds) rather than for the one class.

Re: Teaching Assistant
 

Primary schools often rely on volunteer assistants (mainly parents and grandparents) to help out around the classroom, with listening to kids reading and some specialist programmes, such as helping with fine motor skills. I've not seen any paid assistants/aides as such other than what KP has alluded to - these "extra needs" kids are often in mainstream classes with some quite severe difficulties (according to MrsL who works for Group Special Education in their school-based regional group and worked in the UK in MLD schools - this is due to the lack of "Special Schools", particularly outside Auckland).
As far as I know many UK quals in the TA/early years areas aren't of much use in NZ - I know a few Brits who came over with them and may as well have not got any......

Re: Teaching Assistant
 

So is it more of a chance thing in NZ, if the face fits, if there happens to be an opening type thing?
Rather than being advertised for like in the UK.

Cheers Jads

Re: Teaching Assistant
 

Teacher Aide positions will almost certainly be advertised, both in the Education Gazette, local metropolitan papers (eg Dominion Post, Auckland; The Press, Christchurch; The Herald, Auckland) and even more likely in the local free papers which get delivered to households.

As I said, some of them may want quals but they really just want the right person for the job.

So, in short – yes they will be advertised.

Re: Teaching Assistant
 

i was a TA in the uk for about 8yrs. came over here, saw an ad and got the job...no probs! if youve done any TA courses in the uk, youve done as much as the TA quals here!! good luck!!:thumbsup:

Re: Teaching Assistant
 

Hi,

Some are advertised, many are not and are filled by schools already knowing people who have done it before or who have contacted them to express an interest. My wife is a special needs teacher and her experience is that it's generally hard to find people to fill the roles, so you should find something.

The other way is to contact the local Special Education office (part of Ministry of Education) who either place TA's or help schools find them. Addresses here: http://www.minedu.govt.nz//index.cfm...xparentid=6871

Good luck,
Laurence

Re: Teaching Assistant
 

I'm a TA working in a school of 50 part time and NOT tied to any one student. My job is very varied and I help with all classes. Fabulous job :thumbup: Shite pay :thumbdown:

Re: Teaching Assistant
 

I have seen half a dozen Teachers aide jobs advertised in our local paper since arriving here and most of them are to help with special needs children or ESOL.

Re: Teaching Assistant
 

My friend is a TA here in one of the local schools. She told me yesterday what she gets paid and its shocking. I didnt expect it to be high but its like what youd get cleaning the floors at MacDonalds.

Re: Teaching Assistant
 

why pay someone when some of the grandparents will volunteer?
I'd wager that librarian salaries in NZ are pretty low given that the paid staff in our library are outnumbered three or four to one by volunteers.....
.....ps not having a go at either group, just an observation......
off to bed now Aunty Karen........:zzz:

Re: Teaching Assistant
 

Like others that have replied to you, I also am a qualified TA. I went for an interview showed my certificates and got the job:thumbsup: Then she told me what pay I would be on - $12 an hour :thumbdown: She said I would be entitled to more if my certs are recognised here BUT to do this I would have to send them of to some office at a cost of $400. Even then she said it would be very unlikely. Like mentioned before, a 16 - 17 year old gets more working at McDonalds :curse: As you can guess I refused the position.

Re: Teaching Assistant
 

It's not easy choosing jobs with low pay. Our daughter worked for a catering company as a holiday job and earn $12-$15 ph but was expected to work very long and unsocial hours- 12hrs + and if needed up to 12-1am depending when the costomers went home.
My husband has been teaching English in a school on a casual basis on a slightly higher salary than our daughter BUT he spent all weekend and each evening preparing the lessons so his hourly rate if based on that would have been less than $10 an hour! The TA jobs are low salaries but you don't have preparation to do so you can just do the job and come home to free time.

Re: Teaching Assistant
 

My friend also told me she has work to do for her TA job outside of school hours. She has taken on a special class now single handed and its hard work for her. The school has recently changed from 9 to decile 10 which is bad news for them as they get even less funding now.

As for grandparents..... lots of kids here are from English families and dont have grandparents here. They have a special grandparents day at the school once a year when you take your grandad or grandma to school and some of the English kids borrow their friends parents as pretend grandparents for the day....I expect my kids will have to do the same when they go to school. I need to adopt a nice granny for them in the village!! lol :D