Reflecting on the course
My role as a teaching assistant has not developed or changed in ways I would like. However, this course has taught me that teaching assistants are a key element in the provision of high-quality education. Study Topic 2, p.17 (Balshaw and Farrell 2002) suggest that, ‘Teaching assistants have often been in several jobs and learnt a variety of skills’. I support Year 1 children in both numeracy and literacy. In the morning I discuss the lesson plan with the teacher and get a clear understanding of the learning objectives. If I feel the children might find something difficult, the teacher will suggest ways I can give extra support. I get the resources ready and prepare the classroom as necessary. As suggested by Clark (2002) in Study Topic 12, p.7, ‘The physical learning environments that a school provides impact on the teaching and learning that takes place inside.’ I am more aware of how the learning environment can help and benefit the children’s learning, and make it as stimulating as possible. After reading Cremin et al, (p.133) I found it interesting to know that our classroom uses the zoning method. This method allows the teacher and me to work well as a team and select the right children to work together in a positive, constructive way. This course has also helped me realise the importance of observations and assessments, as Wragg (1999) suggests in Study Topic 9, p.23, ‘Classroom observation that is skilfully handled can benefit both the observer and the person observed.’
Reading the course material and the different theories has helped me to understand how children learn and how important it is to listen, as Study Topic 14, p.17, states that The Children Act (2004), ‘Stresses the importance of listening to children, and this includes when they are in school’. This course has also brought my attention to the five outcomes