Welcome to the June edition of TA Talk.
Instead of winding down for the term, we have two major initiatives that are keeping the ATA team on the go!
Both of these initiatives stem from our mission to empower educators to help students succeed, and that absolutely includes paraprofessional educators in schools.
The Australian Teacher Aide of the Year awards, now in its fourth year, is an enormously important event, and one that keeps us super busy from start to finish.
The awards are open to schools from all education sectors, and with just 22 days left until nominations close, you still have time to nominate a teacher aide who is making a positive impact on students, colleagues, and the community.
Our other project is developing the Australian Standards for Paraprofessional Educators in Schools (ASPES).
We believe that having a set of national standards can contribute significantly to the recognition of the essential role of paraprofessional educators in supporting student learning and engagement, and we have been working towards this goal for a quite a while.
In order for the standards to reflect the quality teaching and learning support practices that are required to achieve successful outcomes for students, we are inviting schools and other education stakeholders to provide feedback. See below for details.
This month we shine the spotlight on Kolbe Catholic College, another professional learning champion school, that has been using ATA resources for the past five years, to build the expertise of their LSOs.
We welcome all our new member schools, and remind you to request a new school member orientation if you haven't already done so. Onboarding is a valuable process and ensures schools maximise the benefits of membership.
We wish everyone a fabulous holiday break. See you next term!
Warm regards
Mandy and Stella
2021 AUSTRALIAN TEACHER AIDE OF THE YEAR NOMINATIONS CLOSE 16th JULY
Schools have just 3 weeks left to nominate an outstanding teacher aide or support team making a positive impact on students, colleagues, and the community.
The categories are:
- 2021 Australian Teacher Aide of the Year
- Australian Teacher Aide of the Year - State Finalist
- Australian Teacher Aide of the Year - School Team 2021
- Australian Teacher Aide of the Year - Highly Commended
AUSTRALIAN STANDARDS FOR PARAPROFESSIONAL EDUCATORS IN SCHOOLS
EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST - CONSULTATION ON DRAFT 1
We are seeking expressions of interest from schools that wish to participate in a reference group to provide feedback on Draft 1: Australian Standards for Paraprofessional Educators in Schools. The first review will seek feedback on the following:
- Purpose of the standards
- Organisation of the standards
- Domains of teaching and learning support
The Reference Group aims to include the diverse and long term needs of Public, Catholic and Independent schools in each State and Territory.
Step Up Stand Tall - Changing the Mindset of the Paraprofessional
Tuesday 13th July 2021 @ 3:30pm AEST
Taryn Riles is a school learning support officer (SLSO) at Boorowa Central School, and is the current Australian Teacher Aide of the Year.
Taryn is passionate about inclusive education for all students of diverse backgrounds, and a facilitator for the Stronger Smarter Institute.
Join Taryn for this motivating webinar, as she shares her passion for her role, and her vision to empower teacher aides to take ownership and pride in their profession.
How to avoid and manage meltdowns in students
Louise Griffiths, a teacher at Mount Evelyn Christian School, works in The Butterfly Centre, a specialised classroom for students who live with Autism Spectrum Disorder or who have survived trauma.
In this webinar, Louise shares 8 key strategies she uses to coach the education support team to help children avoid and manage meltdowns. Here is what Kristine from Victoria said, following the event:
"As a classroom teacher who values her teacher aides, I will communicate what I have learnt and encourage the team to access this information."
GETTING THE BEST POSSIBLE LEARNING OUTCOMES FOR STUDENTS
Kolbe Catholic College has a diverse population of secondary school students, including refugees, and many students who require adjustments to be made through quality differentiated teaching practice.
The 12 learning support officers (LSOs) at the college work alongside teachers to support students, and are provided with opportunities to participate in professional learning to meet the needs of all students.
“Australian Teacher Aide has been a great resource for our staff to complete Professional Development at a time and place that suits the College. The variety of subject areas allows staff to tailor their Professional Development to their needs. With new resources being added regularly, ATA is ever evolving, and we find that there is always something for everyone on the site.”
- Jane Wenlock, Co-ordinator of Learning Support.
MAXIMISE THE BENEFITS OF MEMBERSHIP
Onboarding is a valuable process and ensures schools maximise the benefits of membership. We also get an opportunity to connect with you and learn what is important to you and your team! When you participate in an orientation we will:
- listen to your professional learning needs
- show you where to find resources that meet your school’s strategies and goals
- share ideas on how other schools successfully manage their PD
- provide you with links to key information to share with the support team
- show you how to link new staff to your school account, use the CPD diary, and be issued with certificates.
WHAT'S TRENDING ON THE ATA FACEBOOK PAGE
What do you remember from your school days?
67,551 views 4,064 reactions, comments and shares
Ringing the school bell, marching into the classroom, singing God Save the Queen at assembly, carbon paper, encyclopaedias in the library and hand-written borrowing cards, small bottles of (usually warm) milk for morning tea, thin slippery-sided toilet paper, school nurses issuing spoonfuls of pink polio medicine, chalk boards, the trolly with the overhead projector, the duplicating machine and smell of ink, the cane, playing elastics ... We received 2200 comments!! Such nostalgia :)
Promise we won't do the math!
135,836 views 1,815 reactions, comments and shares
We said we wouldn't do the math, and we didn't! But my, some of you are now teaching your students' children!! Totally devoted :)
WELCOME TO OUR NEW SCHOOLS AND TRAINING ORGANISATIONS
ACT
Marist College Canberra
NSW
Brisbane Water Secondary College
Casuarina Steiner School
Claremont College
Green Point Christian College
Laguna Public School
Moriah College
St George Christian School
Tallowood School
Yass High School
QLD
Carole Park State School
Cloncurry State School
Collinsville State School
Freshwater Christian College
Harristown State High School
Marymount College
Mungar State School
OneSchool Global Queensland
Palmview State Primary School
St Brendan's College Yeppoon
St Catherine's Catholic College Whitsundays
Tieri State School
SA
Cleve Area School
Tumby Bay Area School
TAS
Bicheno Primary School
Burnie High School
Parklands High School
Ringarooma Primary School
Springfield Gardens Primary School
Tasmanian Department of Education - Hearing Services
VIC
Bendigo Primary School
Berry Street School
Castlemaine Secondary College
Dandenong West Primary School
Fountain Gate Primary School
Garrang Wilam Primary School
Mordialloc College
Our Lady Help of Christian's Primary School
St Thomas Aquinas College
WA
Como Secondary College
Lake Joondalup Baptist College
Lakeland Senior High School
St Bernadette's Catholic Primary School
Leaders in Professional Learning for Schools
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