Welcome to the November edition of TA Talk. What a whirlwind month it has been!
On Tuesday 12th November we delivered our final web event for the year. With close to record registration and attendance, it is clear that professional learning in the PDA space is much sought after by schools striving to support their students in the best way possible. Our web event planning for 2025 is almost complete, and we are pleased to announce that Sarah Lovett will be returning in late 2025 to dive even deeper into PDA behaviour.
The biggest news is ... this week we are celebrating a major milestone, not just at Australian Teacher Aide, but in education generally, as we launch the Australian Teaching Assistant Professional Standards (ATAPS), a major piece of work initiated and funded entirely by Australian Teacher Aide. As a result, for the very first time, schools and other education settings will have access to an evidence-based framework that provides national benchmarks for teaching assistants at different stages, and supports performance and professional growth processes.
On Tuesday, as part of our celebrations, contributors to the development and formation of the standards, the ATAPS Industry Reference Group (IRG) and the ATAPS School Pilot participants, were invited to a soft launch where we revealed the new standards for TAs. And, today, we are delighted to share the framework and associated resources with you all. Over the next little while, we encourage you to spend some time browsing the pages under the Standards tab on our website.
But there's more! To support member schools with the implementation of the standards framework, we have created an ATAPS Companion Guide, which provides information about the knowledge and skills required to achieve the professional growth expectations for each standard, as well as exemplars of practice. Additionally, we will be running a series of workshops next year for school leaders of member schools, to support the implementation of the standards. There is more information about the Companion Guide and ATAPS Partner School™ workshops on our website.
So, all in all, it feels as though we are ending this year on a high! We hope you are as excited as us about this major step forward in the pursuit of excellence in education support practice. Warm regards Stella and Mandy |
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NEW! - AUSTRALIAN TEACHING ASSISTANT PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS (ATAPS) |
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It's official! After 3+ years of dedicated work, the Australian Teaching Assistant Professional Standards (ATAPS) have been published by Australian Teacher Aide!
The commitment of time to this project was nothing short of phenomenal. Funded entirely by Australian Teacher Aide, facilitated by Stella Liliendal, Director and Co-Founder of ATA, supported significantly by other members of the ATA team, and a large number of very committed educators from State, Catholic and Independent schools and other education settings, the development of ATAPS has been a truly collaborative effort. We are immensely proud of this work, and believe it will positively impact schools and the wider education sector in the future, providing benchmarks for education support practice, empowering the workforce, and ultimately improving outcomes for students. Hip hip hooray!!! |
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ATAPS PARTNER SCHOOL COURSE |
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| Leadership teams at member schools are invited to join our ATAPS Partner School™ course. This course is designed to support participants with the implementation of the new teaching assistant standards in their school.
During two engaging online workshops (3 hours each), participants will learn how to effectively integrate the teaching assistant standards and set their education support teams up for success. Participants will also have the opportunity to attend a 30-minute one-on-one session with an ATAPS facilitator to fine-tune the implementation process.
Upon completion, successful schools will receive ATAPS Partner School™ accreditation and a digital badge to display proudly on the school website. |
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| Australian Teacher Aide Web Events Coming in 2025 |
While our final webinar for 2024 may have come to a close, our team has been working around the clock to bring you even more exciting, cutting-edge professional development opportunities in the new year.
We’re thrilled to announce that we’ve already published 3 amazing webinars for 2025. Keep an eye out for our December issue, where we’ll be unveiling even more upcoming events for the new year. Stay tuned! |
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| A Whole School Approach to Supporting Students with PDA |
Our latest resource, featuring Sarah Lovett, founder of Our PDA Kids and an accredited social worker with expertise in Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA), is a game changer for schools.
Packed with essential insights and practical strategies, this resource is designed to help educators and support teams better understand and support students with PDA. In this video resource, Sarah emphasises the importance of shifting our mindset and language - moving beyond behaviour-focused approaches to prioritising flexibility and trauma-informed practices. Discover how adopting whole-school strategies can create a more supportive environment for students with PDA. |
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OUTSTANDING PARTICIPATION IN ATA PROFESSIONAL LEARNING |
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| Congratulations to the following schools for achieving most highly, over the past month, in their professional development journey:
Newbury Primary School VIC Beaconsfield Primary School VIC St Joseph's School - Benalla VIC Leeming Senior High School WA Ocean Reef Senior High School WA
Keep up the great work, everyone!
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DON'T FORGET TO VISIT OUR JOB BOARD |
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| POSITIONS VACANT Haileybury Pangea, online virtual school, has a position vacant for a learning support assistant. Haileybury Keysborough, VIC, has a position vacant for a tutor support officer. Waverley Christian College, VIC, has a number of positions vacant for learning support assistants at their primary and secondary Wantirna South Campuses.
Waverley Christian College, VIC, has a number of positions vacant for learning support assistants at their primary and secondary Narre Warren South Campuses. |
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WHAT'S TRENDING ON THE ATA FACEBOOK PAGE |
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| ATAPS Launch: Top Post Highlights Education Support Workers' Interest! |
With the recent buzz surrounding the launch of ATAPS, it’s no surprise that our top-performing post reflects education support workers' growing interest in the Standards. Visit our website for the latest updates and details as we launch today! 19,847 views 277 reactions, 30 comments and 18 shares |
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Leaders in Professional Learning for Schools |
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