Orientation - Pre-employment Preparations (2)
A guide to starting as a teacher aide in Queensland
Starting a career as a teacher aide can be daunting. To help orient and induct you, this series of blog posts will cover:
Professional Development and Continual Improvement
Pre-employment
You will need:
A blue card;
A clear criminal history check - you may need a criminal history check from other countries you have lived in (this adds to the timeline, so respond promptly);
A trusted referee or two - sometimes they will be asked to complete a written reference, so have someone in mind who is reliable and familiar with your work.
You will attend an interview with multiple people. In some instances, you will be provided the interview questions in advance to prepare.
Be yourself. You don’t have to be an expert, but you do have to show that you are a reasonable person, who can follow policy, take direction, encourage learning and build appropriate relationships with students; while also holding them accountable to school rules and expectations.
Research the school by visiting their website (which usually includes their previous year’s survey results); visit MySchool to determine the demographics of the school and how they are performing academically; if possible, try to talk to a teacher aide to get a sense of school culture.
Google the school, see what news articles appear, and what reviews say. Students are largely the same from school-to-school - some with more challenges than others - but all kids are good kids; and all deserve a quality education.
School culture varies, and this is largely determined by management, P&C and staff. Systemic toxicity is near-impossible to fix individually; fail fast and find somewhere else.
What you will need
The school should provide everything you need, so don’t feel obligated to buy anything. However; if you’re anything like me, having tangible tools helps to feel prepared:
A bag - I use a diaper bag which has lots of different zippered pockets and wipeable inner fabric and fits a laptop perfectly;
A pencil case - I use a toiletry bag that folds-out with multiple clear zipped pockets. I find this the easiest way to find things quickly;
A note book - I prefer A5 and use this for everything: writing down my class schedule, writing quick notes, reflections on what went well, what could be improved and de-identified funny things or quotes (this can be really helpful on hard days). It also fits neatly in my pencil case/toiletry bag!
Glue in a copy of the school map, your playground duties, class/break timings, and contact extensions/numbers.
Stationery - use what you already have, and definitely buy the cheapest available; things will get lost, broken, accidentally taken. I also label my stationery, mainly so students know my name;
Pens, pencils, eraser and pencil sharpener
Post-it notes
Lined paper
Small ruler
Scissors and mini glue stick
Highlighters
Cheap exercise books
USB stick
Health supplies - I highly recommend having a supply of materials for your own good health:
Mini hand sanitizer bottle - I refill mine from school;
Packet of anti-bacterial wipes and tissues;
Mask and pair of disposable gloves;
Sunscreen, sunglasses and hat (for playground duties);
Pill pantry - I take a small supply of things for myself like eye drops, anti-histamines, plaster, panadol, lozenges etc.
Other items
Fidgets which don’t make too much noise;
Spare batteries;
Silent visual timer;
Presentation clicker/laser pointer;
Mini whiteboard and markers;
Colouring pages and mini coloured pencils;
Stickers - cute animals are universally loved;
Water bottle;
Whistle;
Ear plugs, ear pods - sometimes you need to block out the world and self-regulate for 10 minutes;
A good pair of comfy shoes - you might have to chase after students, climb stairs, bend down, squat…dance!
Build your community
Being a teacher aide can be lonely and so it can be nice to have others to turn to when you have questions:
Join the union - we are stronger together;
Follow social media pages which focus on teacher aides.
Read this blog and send me an email if there is something specific you’re struggling with teacheraideqld@gmail.com.
Most importantly, the best preparation is to relax, and understand that teachers are incredibly grateful to have a teacher aide in the room.
The majority of your learning will be in the classroom, so be kind to yourself, don’t compare yourself to others and enjoy.