Avoiding Drama in the Teacher/Teacher Assistant Relationship

In May 2017, The United States Department of Labor estimated that 1,051,410 teaching assistants are employed in the nation's elementary and secondary schools. That number is expected to grow by 8% by the year 2026. The goal of having teaching assistants in the classroom is to support instruction for students while reducing the teacher workload. With the rise of inclusive education, many schools depend on teaching assistants to help students with a range of disabilities access education in the general education setting. While the deployment of teaching assistants is intended to make the job of the teacher more manageable, many teachers are often not prepared to utilize the help effectively. Very little guidance is given in how to properly delegate tasks or train support staff on how to follow through on instructional goals established by the teacher. In many cases, teachers and teaching assistants are "thrown together" with little oversight by administration, not to mention time allowed for common planning and basic communication.

The role of the teaching assistant can vary greatly from school to school and even classroom to classroom in the same building. What often results is the the teaching style and personality of the lead teacher often determines the role of the teaching assistant. Some teachers prefer to have the TA's focus on the clerical aspects of the job with minimal contact with students. while others can have almost a co-teaching situation. When the expectations of the role of both parties is clear, the relationship can work productively. Communication is also an important factor in making the situation work smoothly.

What happens when the roles of each isn't clear and the communication isn't consistent? Like any other relationship, problems will occur, making the work day tense and stressful.

How can we avoid these pitfalls?

*Establish clear and agreed upon roles for each person. "I'll do this, you do that, or we will both be responsible for" .... I often hear Teachers say they aren't getting the support they expect from TA's while TA's may report they are worried about stepping on the teacher's toes. The school should establish clear job descriptions and lists of responsibilities for TA's. With that said, teaching styles can vary greatly, so it may be helpful for the teacher to decide how the TA can be most helpful to them. Once the teacher has a good understanding of what they should expect from the TA, the teacher should get administrative support to establish the ground rules. In most cases teachers and TA's work together, but teachers don't have the power to really supervise or give directives without administrative backing. The teacher can establish the guidelines and have them confirmed by the department head or principal. This is how ____ and I feel we can best utilize your talents.