Help Teaching Assistant Interview and haven't got a clue what is expected!

missymoo81

Help.... i have applied for 30 teaching assistant jobs and have finally, finally been given the chance of an interview:T, it is for a position within special needs in a high school.

I have never worked as a teaching assistant before but love working with children, my nephew has learning difficulties and I have volunteered for youth club and rainbows etc for years which have all had challenging children, so I do have some experience.

Now what I need to know is what will the interview be like? As I have a feeling it will be different to a normal interview, what sort of questions will they ask, what can I do to give myself the best possible chance, what sort of answers are they looking for?

Please please help, I want this job so so much.

Missy.

p.s. I'm so sorry if this is in the wrong place but I didn't know where to put it and am so desperate for help.:(

boredofbeingathome

Hi Missymoo- congrats on getting an interview. I think it may be better if you posted on the jobs board, but for what its worth..i will put down some standard questions.

1. Can you describe how you dealt with a difficult situation?
2. What was the outcome of the situation
3. How would you approach a certain task?
4. What would you consider your weakness
5. What would you consider your strengths
6.Why do you want to work for us
7.Have you any experience of putting up displays? ( bring out piccies at this point if you have any)
8. How do you see yourself fitting in
9. Are you able to work undirected? Sometimes that is asked as they are looking for initiative perhaps give egs
10. How would you set up activities for Wet play? Look at curriculum objectives- who plans these etc
11. Describe a successful activity you have done
12.Are you willing to go on courses


I hope they help, sometimes it really does depend on what they are looking for. The level you have applied for will no doubt lead to further training and therefore going up the pay scale which School pay for. I am sure you can think of lots of others, some will be standard and others will be school orientated, so at every opportunity bring in planning experience with your other work and how you are willing to learn and emphasize how much you enjoy working with children.

Good luck Bob x

NorthernLas

Sorry I can't give you info on what the interview will be like ... but

They and you are trying to answer 3 questions

1. Can you do the job
2. Do you want to do the job
3. Will you fit in

Put yourself in their shoes and think about what you would expect from someone being a TA and what you would want to ask them.

Then think about your experience and what you enjoy about working with children. What are you good at - keeping them interested, being calm, making learning fun?

Is there someone you can practice your answers on?

missymoo81

Bless you both thank you so much, I worry that I wont give the answers they are looking for, I haven't worked in a school before, am currently a PA and have been in the RAF for 7 years.

But I am doing a degree with the OU and finally would like to be a teacher of special needs children. What sort of things do children do in wet play time, it's been so long since I've been at school lol.

Thank you again for taking the time to post, it is so very much appreciated.

365days

Agree with all the above.

They might ask you how you would see working in a school setting compares and differs from Youth club/rainbows etc. (more structured and target orientated)

Is it for a named pupil? If so do you know the nature of their disability/learning needs. Do a bit of research about that. If it is a general position, look at their OFSTED report and pick out something positive about their SEN provision to show you show a real interest in THAT school.

The most important thing they will be looking for is do you fit in with the current team. And unfortunately you can't do anything to prepare for that!

Good luck !

missymoo81

Thanks so much, I don't know if it is pupil specific I don't think it is, I think it is a general, I can download the ofsted report, so will do that now.

Thanks again for your loveliness x

365days

When you read the OFSTED report you might deciede you don't want to work there anyway!!!

missymoo81

lol, thanks 365

missymoo81

hmmm just been looking through the internet, do they give you activities to do with the children to see how you interact?

have just read the ofsted report and the school is exceptional!

365days

Sometimes!!

boredofbeingathome

missymoo81 wrote: »

Bless you both thank you so much, I worry that I wont give the answers they are looking for, I haven't worked in a school before, am currently a PA and have been in the RAF for 7 years.

But I am doing a degree with the OU and finally would like to be a teacher of special needs children. What sort of things do children do in wet play time, it's been so long since I've been at school lol.

Thank you again for taking the time to post, it is so very much appreciated.

Well done on the degree and the ambition.:D Hmm i would think they would snap your hand off- they will be thinking Raf= discipline lol

Wet play is anything involving water - so you could you could do Science- material and their properties. How long does it take an object to sink, or what floats best.
You could also do a reading theme on Pirates and Treasure, the children could set up a sunken pirate ship- allsorts of play and dressing up , imagination, treasure maps etc
Hope that helps