Ta Interview

[Guest]

HI all

 

There has been a lot on here recently about interviews and going for new jobs - all for teaching posts). My TA who i have worked with for 7 years has decided to drop a couple of days (she has got 2 new grandsons and wants to spend more time with them so i understand) I am a job share and we have worked so well as a team for these past 7 years it will be hard to have someone new. We thought that we need to have continuity in the week so we couldn't have a ta work with me for my days and a new one on my friends day so my current TA will work in the middle of the week and the school has advertised for 2 days.

 

Tha head has asked us to come up with some questions i have tried searching?? - i have never been involved in an interview before and never been asked my opinions for new staff just been given a TA. The advertisement was really just a TA description not really what the reception class/EYFS is about and we heard someone say ( oh that would be a 'nice little job'!! not in a nice little job way in a tone that that would be easy, playing all day etc it is a fantastic job but we work hard!!)

 

So any ideas would be great please - nothing has been said about qualifications to us and that doesn't say on the job description but did think it would be good to ask what experience they do have with early years/ any recent experience/any courses they may have been on. I thought about how they would feel going out in the rain/wind? sick/toilet mishaps/dealing with parents.

 

Thank you XX

[AnonyMouse_11396]

Hi although a TA will work within the teachers plans/curriculum, are there any special talents, interests they maybe able to share at school.

Have any of the applicants undertaken any Makaton, BSL, or Sign along training, any Speech and Language courses such as ECAT or ELKLAN.

The most vital thing is do they have lots of energy, and a sense of humour.

[Guest]

I think if you asked them what they think their job will entail, that will give you an idea of their expectations. For me it would be important to know about their experience of teaching phonics as in my school all children are split by ability across foundation and KS1 for phonics and all TAs and teachers have a phonics group with up to 15 in (which they plan for). I would also be asking something about observations of children as my TA takes notes and does more lengthy observations as do I so you could ask something like the teacher has asked you to do a 15 minute observation of a child, what sort of things would you be noting down?. What about something about extending a child's learning through their play you could give a scenario e, Jack always chooses to play in the sand, he loves to dig deep holes, he likes adding water to the sand and mixing it, how could you extend his learning through his own interests?

Hope that helps

Deb

[Guest]

I recently had to look through applications for a post of support TA in reception class.

 

There were 55 applicants for a temporary part time level one job!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

(SO BE PREPARED!!!!)

 

What I found was that I looked at who had relevant experience first be it working or training and then I looked at school grades for English, after this I read what the applicants said about themselves.

 

At the time I felt in the ad it should have said no interviews to people who havent visited!!!

You can only tell so much from a piece of paper!!

 

Someone applied for this level one post who had 2 degrees.

However neither were in a subject to do with FS children and there was no work experience at all with children.

As the post was also for one to one support and care for a child with special needs I personally felt we needed to find someone who had those type of skills already proven.

 

Just my opinion!!!

 

Will you be in on the interview?

 

Maybe asking how they feel about coming in to an established team?

 

I have interviewed only a couple of times and I can assure you that from experience I know what is on paper does not necessarily make a good team member!

 

Good Luck

[Guest]

Hi thank you for all the replies. I haven't been asked to sit on interview. ' Maybe asking how they feel about coming in to an established team?' i like this one thank you and although i'm all for new blood new ideas etc they do need to fit in with us. I am looking forward to it having a new person about i love my TA to bits but she has been doing the job longer than i've been teaching and thats a good few many years and she is feeling the strain of all the new initiatives etc and how it keeps changing are we playing are we not playing having targets etc.

 

Thank you will print out and have a good read and send link to my friend.

[AnonyMouse_73]

We always asked our shortlisted applicants to do an activity with the children, and more often than not it really only came down to one or two candidates in the end. Like Scarletangel we would have many applicants, but by the time we had removed those without the qualifications or experience we asked for; those with very poor written and presentation skills; and those who didn't actually complete most of the form; we would usually only be left with about 4-6, which we would offer all an interview for. Then the activity and interviews said the rest. We kept the interviews short, not asking more than about 8 questions, covering their experience, a question around safeguarding; working with parents; something about confidentiality; knowledge of the EYFS; personal qualities; team work.

 

Only once did we really appoint the wrong person, the others we were really glad we snapped up before anyone else did.

Good luck with finding the right person for your school.