The job of a teacher is difficult and fast paced, making the need teaching assistants crucial. A teaching assistant is one of the most important employees in the educational field and environment. A teaching assistant’s job is for people who are looking for a job that is part time, more focused on those who are undergraduate and graduate students. These students are usually hired to assist teachers in the teaching process. The interviews for these jobs are different then normal interviews and the questions are focused on the profession and you are going to need to answer situation type questions.
Interview Tips
Ensure that you show your experience and knowledge in the interview. The interviewer may ask you questions about your previous jobs and experience. This will enable the interview to understand your basic background and whether or not you would be able to handle this kind of job. The job of a teaching assistant is quite near a lot of students ranging from different ages. Due to this reason, the interviewer will first have to access if you can handle crowds of students and multi-task when a number of students need assistance.
This position is a serious job and the interview may ask you why you actually need the job. Taking into consideration the young age, many people just think about being employed and this is not the right answer. You need to show to the interviewer you are serious about the job. You can do this by explaining your dedication and love for children. Don’t just give the impression you need a job as you won’t be successful. Connect with the job and it’s surroundings.
The interviewer may ask about any difficult things you may have encountered at your last job which related to work or other means. You should be honest and if there was many problems, explain to the interviewer that you solved the problem by talking and remaining clam and that it didn’t affect you in terms of actually doing your job. This shows the interviewer you are people person and you can solve problems as there is bound to be some between so many children.
Interview Questions
It’s best to be prepared for an interview and practice questions that may arise. Some example questions can be:
- All students with adaptations or modifications within their program will have an Individual Education Plan. Briefly explain your understanding of this document and its purpose for supporting special needs students.
- Supervision is one of the key responsibilities of this role. How do you see yourself effectively supervising the student in your care, while at the same time supervising the general student population?
- Scenario- You are a teaching assistant assigned to work in a grade six class with two students who have special needs. The teacher is always asking you to mark and put up bulletin boards instead of supporting your students. What would you do in this situation?
- Why do you want to be a Teaching Assistant?
- What is your experience with SEN and what makes you able to work with children with additional needs, what qualities do you have?
- What is your role as a TA in the classroom…how will you work with the teacher?
- How do you work well in a team?
- would you do if a child told you they needed to tell you something secret but she/he made you promise not to tell anyone
- What is the role of a Teaching Assistant?
- How would you define a Learning Disability?
- What do you understand about the role?
- Why are you a great candidate for this role?
- Tell me about yourself
- Why do you want this role?
- How would you support a child to make progress?
- What could you bring to the life of the school?
There will definitely be Safeguarding question for you and you can also expect a role play for this Safeguarding question.
More role play / scenarios:
- What would you do if you were supporting a child and they refused to do their work?
- What would you do if you disagreed with an action the class teacher had taken?
- How would you support a child who was disruptive in class?
Behaviour management questions will be about School policies and how important for you to follow them.