Your teaching assistant consistently disrupts your lesson plans. How do you regain control of the classroom?

It’s important to get perspectives from both sides. To resolve a disruption: In case you are handling a large group, which is time bound , you can ask your Teaching Assistant politely to come over and let you know what’s causing that disruption & tell him to wait till the class is over and then we can discuss even if it’s due to audience (students) You can patiently wait and then resolve and at the mean time you can ask him to be patient.

Before taking any action plan we should know the reason behind it. Talking or having healthy conversation is always the key, try to know what is bothering them and work on the root cause.

Regardless of who initiates a disruption, addressing it swiftly is key. Instead of confrontation, a proactive approach is beneficial. My strategy involves having a brief, private conversation with those involved. Once I gather information, I encourage students to reflect on the disruption's impact on the learning environment. This method has proven effective in managing misunderstandings and defusing tense situations.

Clear boundaries and expectations are crucial to a productive teaching environment. That said, setting expectations doesn't have to be done in a very formal way, simply have a quick chat at the start of the lesson, clarifying what you will both be doing today. Encourage them to ask questions if anything needs clarifying. Reflect at the end of the lesson, how did you both do in meeting your objectives?

As an educator, my role extends beyond teaching to include leadership and classroom management. While a teaching assistant does hold authority within the classroom, inadequate communication can lead to misunderstandings or perceived disrespect. Building a trusting and respectful environment is essential. I achieve this by clarifying my role as the lead instructor and providing examples of how the assistant can best support me and the students.

It is important to communicate with support staff prior to any lessons they are present in. This ensure there is no confusion during the lesson and enables pupils to feel secure that all adults are on the same page when it comes to expectations. In my experience, support staff value being included in lesson planning before any learning instances. Their views are also extremely vital with regard to the pupils they support and it makes planning easier as more is considered in a shorted space of time.

Your teaching will be effective only when your teacher assistant is completely ready to help you and will be able to help you only when he or she is well guided. Definitely when the assistant will get respect and he will help you better. It definitely improves classroom management.