Welcome to the March edition of TA Talk.
The first part of this month found half our team battening down the hatches in preparation for Cyclone Alfred. Fortunately, the cyclone was downgraded to a tropical low, and we all emerged relatively unscathed despite a lot of gusty wind, a deluge of rain and some minor flooding. Our thoughts are very much with those in the most southern parts of Queensland and northern New South Wales who have experienced a whole lot more damage and destruction. We hope you are getting the support you require to recover.
Our live web event this month, Neurodiversity and Brain-based Learning, was tremendously popular, and a topic we have been hoping to cover for some time now. Kristina Barisic, the director of Developing Minds and an Endorsed Clinical Neuropsychologist, despite being in the thick of the tropical low herself, was able to join us to share her expertise on supporting young people with conditions known to affect brain development.
Earlier this week, on 24th and 25th March, we hosted the first ATAPS Partner School Leadership Workshop. This course is designed to support the successful implementation of the Australian Teaching Assistant Professional Standards (ATAPS) in schools. During the two 3 hour sessions, Kim Nuske, Teacher and ATAPS Facilitator, coached school leaders on how to use the standards framework to support the professional growth of their teaching assistants, and successfully implement ATAPS as part of their school's performance and professional growth process. Since publishing the standards in November last year, feedback from schools affirms that ATAPS will positively impact teaching assistants, teachers, school leaders and, importantly, our students.
With the end of term almost upon us, we would like to take this opportunity to wish you a safe and happy Easter holiday.
Warm regards Stella and Mandy |
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Gain ATAPS Facilitator Certification |
We are thrilled to announce the successful completion of our inaugural ATAPS Partner School Leadership Course! This milestone event saw an enthusiastic group of participants gain ‘ATAPS Facilitator’ certification, gaining valuable insights and resources to support the implementation of the ATAPS framework in their schools.
We received lots of positive feedback on our course. One of our participants had this to say; "I learnt much more than one thing. I have a clear picture of the standards and how to implement, and a very clear picture of next steps."
We're proud to have empowered this group of early adopters with the knowledge and support to make a real impact on the performance and professional growth of their teaching assistants. Registration for our next highly anticipated ATAPS Leadership Course opens soon! Mark your calendars for 27-28 May, 2025, and be part of the ATAPS leadership movement! |
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UNDERSTANDING ATAPS - ONE STANDARD AT A TIME |
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Standard 2 - Know How to Support Learning and Teaching |
Teaching assistants work across many learning areas and different year levels. They require knowledge of the curriculum relevant to their context, and evidence-based teaching and learning practices that maximise student outcomes.
Standard Two details the professional knowledge teaching assistants require: - Focus Area 2.1 Demonstrate knowledge of curriculum to support learning and teaching.
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Focus Area 2.2 Demonstrate knowledge of evidence-based strategies to support learning and teaching
If you are getting started in your teaching assistant career, we recommend the following professional learning resources to help you develop your professional knowledge of how students learn: |
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The Science of School Mental Health and Wellbeing Check-ins |
3:30pm Tuesday, 8 April 2025 |
Join, ATA guest presenter and Director at My Mind Check, Dr. Lauren McLellan, for an insightful web event on the science behind school mental health and wellbeing check-ins.
With 1 in 7 young people experiencing mental health concerns and 89% not receiving the help they need, identifying issues early is critical.
Developed with Macquarie University and funded by the BUPA Foundation, Dr. McLellan will discuss how My Mind Check, in partnership with the Australian Government Department of Education, supports schools in proactively identifying and addressing mental health challenges.
Don’t miss this opportunity to learn about a vital resource for improving student wellbeing. |
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| Neurodiversity and Brain-based Learning |
Our recent live web event with Kristina Barisic, Director of Developing Minds and an Endorsed Clinical Neuropsychologist, is now available on our website!
In this informative session, Kristina explores the crucial role memory plays in learning and development. She discusses how memory affects the ability to learn and the key learning processes that evolve as students grow.
Kristina gives practical strategies and tools that educators can use to support students with memory difficulties. These strategies can help educators identify the best accommodations for each unique student, ensuring that their individual needs are met in the classroom.
Watch the preview now to gain actionable tools and deepen your understanding of how to support students facing memory-related challenges. |
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2025 ATA AWARDS ARE COMING! |
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The 2025 Australian Teacher Aide of the Year Awards are Coming Soon! |
Get ready to celebrate the outstanding contributions of teacher aides! The Australian Teacher Aide of the Year Awards will soon be back, and we encourage you to watch this space for more details. These awards honour the incredible impact teacher aides have on students and schools across Australia. Key dates and more information can be found in our FAQs. Stay tuned! |
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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: Islamic College of Melbourne VIC Sacred Heart College - Geelong VIC
Xavier High School - North Albury Essendon Keilor College VIC Newbury Primary School VIC
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Keep up the great work, everyone! |
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OUR PROFESSIONAL LEARNING CHAMPION SCHOOLS |
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Congratulations to the following schools who recently celebrated their 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th continuous year of membership with ATA! This impressive milestone reflects the commitment of the schools' leaders to the professional growth of their education support teams. |
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9-year Professional Learning Champions
Fisher Road School NSW Kioma State School QLD Peachester State School QLD Waverly Christian College VIC 8-year Professional Learning Champions Atwea College NSW Good Shepherd College - Mount Isa QLD Middlemount Community School QLD Rowland Hassall School NSW The Southport School QLD 7-year Professional Learning Champions Chisholm Institute VIC Haileybury VIC Maleny State High School QLD Nashville State School QLD NT Christian Schools NT Redlynch State College QLD Sacred Heart College - Kyneton VIC St Joseph's College - Mildura VIC Townsville Community Learning Centre - A State Special School QLD
6-year Professional Learning Champions Blackall Range Independent School QLD Goomeri State School P-10 QLD Heatley State School QLD Injune P-10 State School QLD North Metropolitan TAFE WA Oxenford State School QLD St Dominic’s College NSW Wollondilly Anglican College NSW |
| 5-year Professional Learning Champions A.B. Paterson College QLD Balaklava High School SA Brisbane Water Secondary College NSW Como Secondary College WA Henschke Primary School - Wagga Wagga NSW Marian Catholic College - Griffith NSW Holy Spirit Primary School - Lavington NSW Holy Trinity West Wagga NSW Humpybong State School QLD Lakeside College VIC Peranbin Primary College VIC Sacred Heart School - Tocumwal NSW St Brendan's Primary School - Ganmain NSW St Francis de Sales College - Leeton NSW St Joseph's Primary School - Leeton NSW
St Joseph's Primary School - Junee NSW St Joseph's Primary School - Lockhart NSW St Joseph's Primary School - Narrandera NSW St Mary's School - Corowa NSW St Mary's School - Yoogali NSW St Patrick's Parish School - Albury NSW St Patrick's School - Griffith NSW Sacred Heart Primary School - Kooringal NSW Mater Dei Catholic School - Wagga Wagga NSW Kildare Catholic College - Wagga Wagga NSW Xavier High School - North Albury NSW
All Saints Primary School - Tumbarumba NSW St Joseph's Primary School - Culcairn NSW St Joseph's Primary School - Finley NSW St Joseph's School - Jerilderie NSW St Michael's School - Coolamon NSW St Patrick's Primary School - Holbrook NSW St Joseph's Primary School - NSW St Peter's Primary School - Coleambally NSW Mater Dei Catholic College - Wagga Wagga NSW St Anne's Primary School - Lavington NSW Covenant College VIC
Nazareth College VIC Redcliffe State High School QLD Gilson College VIC Chairo Christian School VIC |
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WELCOME TO OUR NEW SCHOOLS AND TRAINING ORGANISATIONS
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ACT Canberra Girls Grammar School University of Canberra High School Kaleen
NSW All Hallows Catholic Primary School, Five Dock Brewarrina Christian School Coast Christian School Gateway Community High Loreto Normanhurst Narrandera High School Sadleir Public School SCEGGS Darlinghurst
Shoalhaven High School St Leo's Catholic College St Joachim's Catholic Primary School - Lidcombe St Raphael's Catholic School Tower Street Public School Warilla High School NT Tiwi College QLD Sophia College Brooweena State School Bunker's Hill State School Collinsville State High School Coolum State High School Fraser Coast Anglican College Lutheran Ormeau Rivers District School Loreto College Coorparoo Middle Park State School Padua College - Queensland Redlands College St Stephen's Catholic College - Mareeba St Thomas' of Villanova Sunshine Coast Grammar School Wadja Wadja Aboriginal Corp. for Education Worongary State School
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| SA Star of the Sea School Trinity College SA Trinity College South Trinity College North Trinity College Gawler River Trinity College Senior Trinity College Roseworthy Trinity College Blakeview
VIC Ballarat Grammar School Bright P-12 College Brighton Primary School Casey Grammar School Christ the King - Braybrook Donald Primary School Essendon Keilor College Heritage College Knox Lucas Primary School
Melba College Melbourne Grammar School Port Melbourne Secondary College St Helena Secondary College St Ita's Primary School - Drouin St Paul's Kealba Catholic School Tarneit Senior College
WA Fountain College Gosnells Primary School Hudson Park Primary School Rossmoyne Primary School |
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WHAT'S TRENDING ON THE ATA FACEBOOK PAGE |
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This month’s top trending post really struck a chord!
Teachers and teacher aides flooded the comments, tagging colleagues and sharing the love. The response was overwhelming, with so many expressing appreciation for the incredible work of all teacher aides.
Education support rockstars truly make a difference! |
29,060 views 229 reactions, 129 comments and 8 shares |
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Leaders in Professional Learning for Schools |
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