TDA 2.1 communication
Describe how to establish respectful, professional relationships with children.
Whilst trying to establish a respectful, professional relationship with children it is important that you are able to adapt yourself easily to the level of the child/children you are working with.
You need time, patience, listening skills and good communicational skills. It is important that you are aware and take into account the individual abilities, personalities and cultural needs of the children as this will vary due to every child being different and having different needs. Children have to be able to feel a level of trust with you and feel safe around you in order to develop a relationship with them, they have to know and be able to feel that they are understood, not only via speech but through behavior and as a person. It is also crucial when maintaining a professional relationship with children that you have that line of friend and teaching assistant. If you try to be their friend your level of authority will be crushed and it will be difficult for you to maintain control of the class as well as the individual children, however this does not mean that you can’t be friendly towards them! But to just ensure that the barriers are not crossed.
There are a numerous amount of ways that you can communicate effectively and positively with children.
Types of communication are:
Verbal- speaking
Non verbal – without words, more through expressions and gestures
Formal –message is exact and specific
Informal- more relaxed and causal
Whilst building a positive relationship with children you will need to:
Show respect
Be supportive to child
Praise child
Ask questions to show your interest in child’s points
Make good eye contact Think about your facial expressions and body language that you use
Earn children’s trust
Be honest and fair at all times
Showing all these qualities will enable you to build a positive and effective relationship with the children and show
Whilst trying to establish a respectful, professional relationship with children it is important that you are able to adapt yourself easily to the level of the child/children you are working with.
You need time, patience, listening skills and good communicational skills. It is important that you are aware and take into account the individual abilities, personalities and cultural needs of the children as this will vary due to every child being different and having different needs. Children have to be able to feel a level of trust with you and feel safe around you in order to develop a relationship with them, they have to know and be able to feel that they are understood, not only via speech but through behavior and as a person. It is also crucial when maintaining a professional relationship with children that you have that line of friend and teaching assistant. If you try to be their friend your level of authority will be crushed and it will be difficult for you to maintain control of the class as well as the individual children, however this does not mean that you can’t be friendly towards them! But to just ensure that the barriers are not crossed.
There are a numerous amount of ways that you can communicate effectively and positively with children.
Types of communication are:
Verbal- speaking
Non verbal – without words, more through expressions and gestures
Formal –message is exact and specific
Informal- more relaxed and causal
Whilst building a positive relationship with children you will need to:
Show respect
Be supportive to child
Praise child
Ask questions to show your interest in child’s points
Make good eye contact Think about your facial expressions and body language that you use
Earn children’s trust
Be honest and fair at all times
Showing all these qualities will enable you to build a positive and effective relationship with the children and show
Bibliography: Burnham.L, 2004, Supporting Teaching and Learning in Schools , London, Heinemann. Burnham.L, 2010, Supporting Teaching and Learning in Schools (Primary), London, Heinemann. www.education.gov.uk, department for education, every child matters, last accessed 30/11/2012. Kamen.T, 2010, Teaching assistants handbook level 2, London, Hodder eduction