LOGIN/Sign up
Teaching assistants play an important role in the growth and development of an individual. Therefore, they must stay updated on the teaching techniques and methods. This is when CPD for teaching assistants comes into play. This article will give you detailed knowledge on why CPD for teaching assistants is essential. And, if you are interested in starting a career as a teaching assistant or are already in this profession, this is a must-read for you.
What is CPD?
The complete form of CPD is Continuing Professional Development. It enables learning to become driven and responsive, rather than unassertive and unengaging. In this form of training, continuous learning is taking place using a holistic approach. During the industrial revolution, more professional bodies and institutes were created. That is to make sure that respective bodies recognise a more significant number of professionals and skilled workers.
Due to the emergence of different knowledge and skills, organisations often required their members to demonstrate or prove that they were up-to-date. This was when CPD certification emerged. Therefore, all professionals need to maintain their membership with their respective CPD certified professional body. CPD is not a single course or a body of learning. It is a system for you to keep skills and knowledge up to date and in line with the requirements of your chosen profession or organisation.
Moreover, CPD combines different methodologies to learning, such as:
- Training workshops,
- Conferences
- E-learning programs
- Best practice techniques
- Idea-sharing
- Professional networking
Therefore, all of these are focused on improving and having effective professional development. Also, engaging in CPD ensures that academic and practical qualifications do not become outdated or obsolete. It allows individuals to continually ‘up skill’ or ‘re-skill’ regardless of occupation, age, or educational level.
Why is CPD Important for Teaching Assistants?
Teaching Assistants (TA) support students in their educational, emotional, and social development either individually, in groups, or as a whole class. They also support the teacher by undertaking duties that will free up their time for teaching. This includes preparing the classroom for lessons, making resources, and creating displays of children’s work. In short, they are a senior teacher’s right hand.
However, there are some courses for teaching assistants, such as Teaching Assistant Complete Course. These courses contain all the essential techniques of teaching different pupils such as SEN pupils, pupils with Autism, disabilities, etc. In addition, these courses provide CPD training and completion certificates. Moreover, such courses are run by professionals in the industry. Therefore, CPD courses make a teaching assistant job ready!
So, why is CPD important for teaching assistants in the UK? Some of the crucial reasons are described below:
Stay Up-to-date with the Industries
Teaching methods are continually changing, and CPD allows teachers to learn new techniques and strategies. Therefore, if the teaching assistants become members of the professional bodies, they will receive training materials or notifications if there is a change in rules for that particular profession. Also, starting up to date allows them to keep up with colleagues who have just finished training.
Thus, they would be more hireable as TA if they have similar qualifications and accreditations as their colleagues. In addition, if TA’s want to gain more experience in a particular industry, being a member of that profession would give them a promising breakthrough. For example- Accounting. Thus, being a member of ACCA would allow them to grow as a professional in the accounting profession.
Increased Interaction Skills
As a teaching assistant, you need to ensure that your student has an easy-going relationship with you. Because they have to ask you questions and ask for help with no hesitance or fear. This is why interaction skills are essential, and CPD for teaching assistants helps to achieve that.
Moreover, CPD gives teachers the chance to reinforce existing skills and learn new ones that aren’t covered during teacher training. In most cases, training assistants do not sufficiently prepare training materials to help those who have special education needs and disabilities. Therefore, further training can allow training assistants to build on their interaction skills and learn strategies for helping these pupils to achieve their full potential.
The teaching assistants would research techniques to prove their interaction skills using the training materials. And they would find several ways to approach their group of students. In addition, increased interaction skills also improve the student-teacher relationship. As a result, the pupils would get more comfortable approaching their teachers. Thus, there will be less hesitation, and as a result, the learning process will be smoother.
Proves Competency Level
Completing CPD courses proves your competency level as a teaching assistant. Also, it helps you to stand out from your colleagues. You will become more competent than the others in the same profession. It also indicates that your knowledge is up-to-date. There is a wide range of CPD courses to choose from any accredited institution in the UK. Therefore, you should get enrolled in one of these courses and enhance your skillset.
Moreover, CPD adds to the skills and knowledge you already have. It helps you become a better teacher for your pupils. And, it is essential in any profession to prove someone’s competency level. It increases your chances of getting better job offers. As a teacher, you will be more competent and meet the expectations of your students and employers. CPD has no requirements in terms of age. So, if you are in the education sector, you must take CPD courses.
Exchange Knowledge
CPD encourages teachers to exchange their knowledge and ideas with others. As a result, the more experienced teachers can mentor the junior teachers. On the other hand, junior teachers can provide the senior teachers with updated knowledge on the latest teaching styles and techniques. This whole process of knowledge exchange helps in the professional development of a teacher.
Furthermore, CPD for teaching assistants exposes them to a broad range of ideas in regards to teaching. And, exchanging knowledge is one of them. This also allows performing networking with other teachers and learn something new every day.
Understanding Mindset
The mindset of a teacher matters a lot in the growth of their pupils. They need to have a very open mind and not judge students based on their grades and competency in studies. For example, if a student scores less than 50% in the exams, the teacher should not scold them or make them feel unworthy of themselves. They should instead encourage them to do better next time. Moreover, teaching assistants and teachers should hold the skills to keep their pupils motivated.
Therefore, CPD for teaching assistants would train them to be good leaders and hold the required skills to uplift others and not make their pupils demoralised. Additionally, teaching assistants with an understanding mindset believe that it is not right to judge the child’s ability based on their educational performance. And, they would come up with several strategies to make the weak students do better next time. Thus, this would ensure that some students do not feel that they are better than others. And, there will always be harmony between everyone. Because this approach would not let any division be created between pupils.
Conclusion
Cpd for teaching assistants is as essential as a university degree in this field. CPD certified courses teach a professional how to behave diligently and thrive in the professional effectively. Therefore, enrolling in a CPD accredited course would take your teaching career to great lengths. Here at Janets, we have a Teaching Assistant Course, and it consists of all the essential aspects of teaching.
