Becoming a Teaching Assistant

Carol Robinson′s research interests combine theoretical and empirical work and focus on two main areas: the voices, experiences, rights and empowerment of children and young people; and the development of learning and professional knowledge through doctoral study and its enactment in practice. These interests developed from her experience as a classroom teacher in a range of secondary and special schools and from her experience of teaching on doctoral programmes.  She has been involved in a number of research projects both locally and nationally and have led several Pupil Voice projects in primary, secondary and special schools, helping staff to develop ways of listening to the voices of the young people in their schools She also led the Pupils′ Voices strand of the University of Cambridge Primary Review of Education in England. She is currently a principal researcher on a project investigating how young people with low aspirations can be supported to raise their aspirations and self esteem and she is involved in a Building Communities Through Dialogue (BCTD) project exploring children′s, parents′ and teachers′ perceptions of dialogic learning approaches in the classroom. She is also on the steering group for the development of UNICEF UK′s school based Rights, Respecting Schools Programme and she is the Cambridge Primary Review regional centre coordinator for the south east region.  Her methodological interests focus on constructivist approaches to research and within this, she particularly favours narrative approaches.

Becoming a Teaching Assistant recognizes the rapidly changing world of TAs. It highlights the importance of their role in teaching and learning whilst emphasising the need to nurture them as they embark upon more considered and structured professional development. It sets out to support all TAs, not just those who wish to use higher academic qualifications as a route into teaching.

• PART ONE: EXPERIENCES OF ENTERING HIGHER EDUCATIONI Never Thought I′d Be Here, But Here I AmPreparing for Your CourseDeveloping as a LearnerSucceeding and Growing in ConfidencePART TWO: LEARNING IN HIGHER EDUCATIONDeveloping Study SkillsPersonal Organisation and ExpectationsMeeting Assessment CriteriaPART THREE: DEVELOPING PROFESSIONAL SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGEImplementing National StrategiesInclusionDo We Know What We Mean?Thinking About Behaviour ManagementPART FOUR: ISSUES OF PROFESSIONALISMFinding a Place in the Professional LandscapeMoving On