TA TALK

Issue 35

September 2018

Welcome to this special edition of TA talk. We are delighted to share with you how schools across Australia celebrated Australian Teacher Aide Appreciation Week. In this issue, we have included photos from some of the teacher aides and teachers who got in touch to tell us about their celebrations.

Leading up to Australian Teacher Aide Appreciation Week, we wrote to the Ministers of Education. We were thrilled to receive this message from the Honourable Selena Uibo, Minister for Education in the Northern Territory:

"I was excited to read about this event which recognises the valuable contributions teacher aides make to the education and well-being of students."

Ms Uibo showed how valued teacher aides are, not only by her words, but also by her actions and went on to say:

"I asked the Department of Education to spread the word on my behalf, to ensure that schools were taking time to celebrate the commitment and efforts of their teacher aides, and where there are staff who really excel, to ensure that a nomination is submitted for 2018 Australian Teacher Aide of the Year Award."

We have received many outstanding nominations for Australian Teacher Aide of the Year. Nominations close Friday 28 September, so you only have until tomorrow! The winner will be announced on Monday 22 October, 2018. 

Lastly, if your school has time set aside for teacher aide PD in term 4, eTAPS Module 3: How to Give Feedback to Students, is now available in our Professional Development library.

We hope you enjoy your well-earned holiday break, and come back refreshed and ready to tackle the last term for the year!

Warm regards

Mandy and Stella

Where do I find professional development resources?

Our resources can be found by selecting the Professional Development tab on the Home page. The professional development resource library includes webinar recordings, and skills-based programs, and is organised according to interest groups. Once you have selected your topic of interest, for example, Additional Needs, you can browse Upcoming Events, Latest News or Related Resources by selecting the relevant tab. If you know the name of the resource, you can also use the search function on the Home Page. 

MEMBER WEBINAR: How to Avoid Burnout - A Guide to TA Wellbeing

In this webinar, we explore your emotional, social and professional well-being, and show you some strategies to manage stress, take better care of yourself, and avoid burnout. You will learn about the causes of burnout in the workplace, how to recognise it, and some steps you can take to build resilience.

COMMUNITY WEBINAR: Surviving Power Struggles at School

We all communicate differently, based on our needs. In this webinar, Pav Cosmatos, Youth Worker and Counsellor, looks at the reasons behind power struggles, and shares some strategies that will help you avoid them, and communicate more effectively.

RESOURCE: eTAPS Module 3 - How to Give Feedback to Students

How to Give Feedback to Students is the third module in the eTAPS professional learning series. You will learn how to give feedback that has the potential to improve learning, close the gap between what students can do now and what they are yet to learn, and promote a growth mindset. This popular series comes with a Facilitator's Guide, a Workbook and a Certificate of Completion.

MEMBER WEBINAR: Left Brain Right Brain - Using Both Sides of the Brain

Tuesday 9 October 2018 @ 4:15pm

Join us for a fun, activity based webinar, as we explore a range of cross - body integration activities to assist children and adults build neurological pathways that can improve academic skills, coordination, movement and creativity.

COMMUNITY WEBINAR: Understanding Mental Health in Students with Autism

- Tuesday 23 October 2018 @ 4:15pm

Lydia Meem, Clinical Psychologist and founder of Autism Understanding, is back by popular demand to talk about mental health, and the issues experienced by students with autism spectrum disorder. In this webinar, you will gain a better understanding of mental health, and learn some practical strategies to support students.

We have had lots of feedback and a few photos from schools that celebrated Australian Teacher Aide Appreciation Week, 3rd - 7th September. Some schools went all out and did something special every day of the week, others held presentation ceremonies, took their teacher aides out for breakfast, asked students to write special notes to their TAs, and of course, there were many morning teas and lots and lots of food involved!

Here are just some of the pics sent to us. Clockwise from below - the Longreach State School TA team, the Queanbeyan Public School TA team,  special cake in honour of education support staff at Queanbeyan Public School, a note of thanks from a student, muffins with a clever note 'there's muffin like a great teacher aide', the SAS staff from Newington Public School, a note of acknowledgement and Mrs Perry (TA, Longreach SS) and student.

A big thank you to all schools who got behind this national initiative and especially to those who sent in some lovely feedback and photos.

POST 1 - Teacher Aides Making a Difference

114,544 views

5,387 reactions, comments and shares

On the eve of Australian Teacher Aide Appreciation Week, we presented the webinar, Teacher Aides Making a Difference with guest panelist, Cheryl White, Digital Technologies Advisor at Clontarf Beach State School. This post was hugely popular and shared over 700 times, leading in to the national celebrations. Thank you for getting behind this initiative so enthusiastically. This post has been our most successful yet - it literally went viral, thanks to you, our wonderful ATA community.

POST 2 - Australian Teacher Aide of the Year 

14,194 views
403 reactions, comments and shares

During Australian Teacher Aide Appreciation Week, Thursday's reminder was to nominate a TA for Australian Teacher Aide of the Year. Did your school do this? If not, hurry, applications close tomorrow. How amazing would it be for your school to have the Australian Teacher Aide of the Year for 2018!!

WELCOME TO ATA!

Ballam Park Primary School
Beaudesert State High School
Belmont State School
Dakabin State High School
Highfields State Secondary College
Hilder Road State School
Indooroopilly State High School
Kingsway Christian College
Laverton P-12 College
Leighland Christian School
Marburg State School
Phillips Training Services
Salesian College Chadstone
St Josephs Catholic School Mt Isa
The Rock Central School
Tropical North Learning Academy
Yarraman P-9 State School

Join ATA in time for the start of Term 4 and maximise your PD budget $$:

- enjoy unlimited access to all our online    professional development for 12 months

- participate in fortnightly live web events

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