ScottyD

In the last year I have worked as a Teaching Assistant in the UK and was hoping that I'd be able to get similar work in NZ.

I've been told that Teaching Assistants don't exist out there and it is only parent volunteers in the classrooms.

Can anyone confirm if this is the case and if so whether they know of any other areas in education that I might be able to use my UK school experience in NZ?

I've had two roles - working with a special needs child and also with small groups of young children (3-5yrs) who had English as a second language.

Mrs ScottyD

Maz1

Hi, I worked as a qualified TA in the UK for 3 years, working with 5-10 years and with pupils with special needs. They will employ TAs over here but don't recognize our qualifications. Therefore, when I applied for a job I went to one of the agencies who were advertising for relief work in schools. Got the job and was offered $12 p/h. Didn't accept. By the time the tax came off and fuel costs, it wasn't worth it.

CCGM.IN.NZ

Hi Mrs ScottyD. Teaching assistants are called teacher aids in NZ. Have found this http://www.careers.govt.nz/default.a...103&id1=J80178. Hope its useful. I have heard that you dont need qualifications to be a teacher aid and a lot of them start out as parent helpers. If this is the case then I'm sure your experience would put you infront of any of them for a job. Good luck. That was my last job in the UK too!

ledge

Hi,

My wife is a special needs teacher and her school seems to be permanently on the lookout for teacher-aides who know what they're doing.

The majority aren't qualified, but they do pay (marginally) more if you have qualifications - having said that, the pay isn't great even then.

One approach would be to approach the local Special Education office (part of the Ministry of Education), who will be overseeing the fnding for TAs across a number of schools - they'll often put you in touch with a school. The last expat we recommended this approach to was working in a school within two weeks of contacting them. Addresses are here; http://www.minedu.govt.nz//index.cfm...xparentid=6871

Good luck

bourbon-biscuit

I'm a TA here but it's at my kids' tiny 47 pupil rural school so I tolerate the crap pay for having a hand in their school life. TAs are alive and kicking here though

ScottyD

Thank you for the advice and contacts - I will follow them up.

It's encouraging to know that there are paid TA roles in schools, even if the pay is not good. If you've worked in the UK as a TA you're going to be used to that!!

No matter where you are in the world you don't generally find people choose to work in education for the money, it's more likely the pleasure of working with the kids and having an opportunity to make a difference to their learning experiences that does it...

I've actually got a teaching degree, but didn't complete my probationary year and gain qualified status so cannot use it to teach either in the UK or NZ without some refresher training.
With teaching being a skills shortage area I'm hoping if I can get into a good school they may consider supporting me in this process. Has anyone had any experience of this?