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Historical
Background
In
2001 the Slovak government identified the introduction
of teacher assistant (hereafter assistant) in pre-school
institutions, elementary schools and special schools as
an important component in smoothing the process of access
to education for Romani children. Since 1994 there were
small pilot projects promoting the introduction of RTAs
into the educational system as a measure for increasing
the adaptation of the child coming from a socio-cultural
disadvantaged background. Presently there are 250 employed
at various schools and levels of education in the Slovak
Republic.
RTA
Job Description
While
defining the job description of a Romani assistant, the
school director follows the general description provided
in the Methodological decree:
The RTA conducts the activities in the following areas:
During
instruction:
-
Direct cooperation with the teacher and other pedagogical
staff during classes
- Smoothening adaptation of the child from a socially
disadvantaged environment
- Guarding children during lunch brakes
- Preparation of teaching material
Work
with children during their free time:
-
Direct supervision of free time activities of children
- Visits to important historical sites
- Coordination of participation on important social events
In
cooperation with the family:
-
Visits of families and communities
- Coordination of meetings with parents
- Acquaintance and familiarity with the family and social
background of the child
Further
education of RTAs:
-
Participation on workshops, seminars and lectures
Legal
Framework
The
following documents include the issue of RTAs:
The Concept of Pedagogical approaches and education of
Romani children and pupils, approved by the ad-hoc working
meeting of the Minister of Education on march 19, 2001.
Millennium - National Program of Development of Pedagogical
Approaches and Education in the Slovak Republic for the
next 15-20 years (Resolution of the government of Slovak
Republic No. 1193 from December 19, 2001 and the Committee
of the National Council of the Slovak Republic on Education,
Science, Youth and Physical Education (Resolution No.
368 from May 7, 2002)
Priorities of the government of the Slovak Republic in
relation to Romani communities for the year 2002, Complex
developmental Program of Romani Settlements and Program
of social field workers (Resolution of the government
of the Slovak Republic No. 357/2002)
Program Phare 2000 Improving the situation of Roma in
the Slovak Republic, educational part: Improvement of
conditions of self-sufficiency of Roma in the educational
system and Phare 2001 - Support of Romani minority in
the area of education.
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RTA
Training
The
Roma teaching assistant is trained by a training institution
accredited by the Ministry of Education. The course is
composed of 150 lessons and prepares the RTA for work
with children in kindergarten, primary school and other
school institutions focused on providing after school
activities and community activities.
The
course is divided into two parts: (1) Training
of Roma Teacher Assistants and (2) Training
of teachers and afternoon teachers cooperating with Roma
Teacher Assistant.
Active
and participative methods respecting individual characteristics
and requirements for working in small groups are used
during the course. They take the form of:
- Contact hours
- Brainstorming
- Methods of independent and individual work
- Problem and project methods
The
assistant completes the course by passing a final exam
that consists of an oral and practical part. The trainee
is required to present a project description of a length
of at least five pages and to conduct a project presentation.
The applicant is required to present his/her knowledge
and skills needed for organizing and directing activities
in the conditions of the school, family and community.
An
examination board responsible for grading will consist
of 3 members: a representative of the Wide Open School
Foundation, lector and representative of the state school
council.
The
applicant for the RTA position and training must have:
- Completed
secondary or primary education
- Be
at least 18 years of age
- Have
a medical certificate
- Recommendation
of the school where he is going to work, or other institution
supporting moral integrity of the applicant
- Ability
to use Roma language
- No
criminal record
The
outline of the course Training of Roma Teacher Assistants:
|
Name
of the Lecture/ Workshop
|
Number
of lessons
|
|
Theoretical
|
Practical
|
| Introduction
into child-centred instruction |
3
|
3
|
| Facilitating
inclusive learning environment with emphases on Romani
socio-cultural features |
3
|
3
|
| Facilitating
multiculturalism and anti-bias in class |
5
|
3
|
| Individual
diagnostics and cultural characteristics of Romani
students |
3
|
3
|
| Methodology
and approaches to classroom community strengthening
|
9
|
3
|
| Individual
approaches during instruction and intervention techniques |
6
|
3
|
| Management
and organisation of instruction |
3
|
3
|
| Personal
and social development of RTAs |
10
|
10
|
| Communication
skills development |
6
|
10
|
| Partnership
and cooperation between family and school |
6
|
6
|
| Community
education - organisation and cultural work |
9
|
9
|
| History,
ethnography, sociology of Roma ethnicity |
10
|
2
|
| Essay
writing |
3
|
16
|
| SUB-TOTAL |
76
|
74
|
| TOTAL |
150
|
The
second course Teacher and tutors and their cooperation
with Roma Teacher Assistants is available to primary school
and kindergarten teachers and RTAs. A theoretical preparation
is systematically completed with practical training focused
on getting new pedagogical skills. Experience showed that
it is highly useful to introduce teachers properly to
news forms of teaching, available to them, while working
with RTAs. The course is 162 hours long.
Educational
goals
To prepare the participants to apply the principles of
a student-centred approach in instruction of Roma students:
- to acquire the philosophy of a student-centred approach;
- to learn to organize the instruction by using Roma Teacher
Assistants in school and after school activities;
- to get skills needed for assessment of individual student
progress;
- to learn new forms of cooperation between family and
community to enhance the quality of education of Roma
students both at school and at home;
- to acquire knowledge and skills in the area of multicultural
and anti-bias education and community education.
Form
of the course completion
A final exam consists of a theoretical and practical part
and a final presentation (minimum 10 pages).
The outline of the course Training
of teachers and afternoon teachers cooperating with Roma
Teacher Assistant:
|
Name
of the Lecture/ Workshop
|
Number
of lessons
|
|
Theoretical
|
Practical
|
Philosophy
and principles of Step by Step methodology
|
4
|
4
|
| Introduction
into child-centred instruction |
3
|
3
|
| Facilitating
inclusive classroom with an emphasis on the Romani
socio-cultural features |
3
|
2
|
| Pedagogical
diagnostics of students |
3
|
5
|
| Methods
and forms of creating classroom community |
6
|
6
|
| Individual
approach in teacher learning process |
6
|
6
|
| Interactive
learning and teaching strategies |
12
|
6
|
| Assessment
of students personal development |
9
|
3
|
| Partnership
and cooperation between school and family |
6
|
3
|
| Multicultural
education and Roma education |
12
|
6
|
| Management
and organisation of instruction and tasks of RTAs |
6
|
6
|
| Planning
of the teaching-learning process and teacher's preparation
for teaching in cooperation with RTA |
9
|
3
|
| Essay
writing |
10
|
20
|
| SUB-TOTAL |
89
|
73
|
| TOTAL |
162
|
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Appendix:
Relevant Documents
Metodicky
pokyn k zavedeniu profesie asistent ucitela v predskolnych
zariadeniach. V zakladnej skole a v specialnej zakladnej
skole No. 1631/2002-sekr. Vydany Ministerstvom skolstva
SR on August 26, 2002
(unofficial
translation by REI)
Methodological
decree on the establishment of the profession of teacher's
assistant in kindergartens, in primary and special school
No. 1631/2002-sekr. Issued by the Ministry of Education
of the Slovak Republic from August 26, 2002
The
Ministry of Education of the Slovak Republic in support
of the interest to unify the profession of the teacher's
assistant in kindergarten, in primary and special elementary
schools, in accordance with Article 50, paragraph 1 and
Article 50b Law No. 29/1984 Coll. on the System of primary
and secondary education (Schooling Law) as amended in
Law No. 408/2002 Coll. issues the following Methodological
decree.
Article
1 Introduction of the profession teacher's assistant
1.
In classes in primary and special elementary schools or
in pre-school institutions (hereafter "schools"),
which are attended by more that five pupils from socially
disadvantaged environment, the director of the school
can establish the profession of teacher's assistant, who
is charged with creating conditions necessary to overcome
especially the language, health and social barriers the
child deals with during the pedagogical-educational process.
2.
The director of the schools seeks agreement to introduce
a profession of teacher's assistant the relevant founder
of the school.
The formal request must contain:
(a)
the name and address of the school, number of pupils
and classrooms,
(b) the number of pupils from socially disadvantaged
environment
(c) the name, surname and the level of education of
the proposed teacher's assistant
(d) allocation of the assistant to a payment category
following special regulations.
3.
The teacher's assistant has to fulfill the following requirements:
(a)
Legally liable
(b) At least 18 years of age
(c) Expert and pedagogical rudimentary knowledge, if
in possession of full secondary education or University
education of first degree (title BA) and passed the
additional pedagogical studies, until 2010 exception.
(Article 50b, part 3 Law No. 29/1984 Coll, as amended
Law No. 408/2002 Coll.) During the course of application
of the exception, we recommend to accept graduates of
specialized courses, accredited by the Ministry of Education
of the Slovak Republic, focused on pedagogical-educational
activities, in a length of at least 110 hours, out of
which 50 hours represent contact hours.
(d) Good knowledge of the state language
(e) Good health
(f) No criminal record
4.
The introduction of the position of teacher's assistant
is not dependent on the establishment of zero classes
in primary schools.
Article
2 Elementary duties of teacher's assistant
1.
The job description of the teacher's assistant is determined
by the director of the school. The main activities of
teacher's assistant are:
1.1. In the frame of pedagogical-educational process:
(a)
direct cooperation with the teacher in the classroom
and with pedagogical employees of the school
(b) smoothing up the adaptation of the child from socially
disadvantaged environment to new educational environment
and providing support during overcoming the initial
language, cultural and social barriers.
(c) Organization of open teaching classes for the parents
(d) Overseeing order during brakes
(e) Accompanying pupils outside the classroom
1.2.
in the frame of working with children during their free
time:
(a)
direct supervision or providing assistance during activities
of a free-time and leisure character (singing, music,
dance, painting, drama or others) using individual,
group or mass forms of pedagogical approaches
(b) visits of historical and cultural sites
(c) organizing participation on social events at the
level of municipality of the region
(d) organization of social events with parents
(e) cooperation with schooling institutions securing
upbringing and education in the time outside school
instruction and during school holidays.
1.3.
In the frame of cooperation with a family:
(a)
visits of family and community in villages with high
concentration of population from socially disadvantaged
environment.
(b) Organization of meetings and cooperation with parent,
so that, they feel a part of the educational process
(c) Research about the family environment, social conditions,
parents' interests and health of the child
1.4.
In the frame of further educational activities - participation
on educational events dedicated to teacher's assistants
organized by schools or other institutions, accredited
for this activity.
2.
The number of teacher's assistants is determined by the
director of school in agreement with the founder of the
school. We recommend one teacher assistant per twenty
pupils.
Article
3 Payment conditions of teacher's assistant
1.
The teacher's assistant is placed in payment category
according to the government of the Slovak Republic ordinance
No. 111/2002 Coll., which establish catalogues of employment
activities in public service and their change and amendments
as amended.
2. In a sense of the paragraph 1 of this Article and taking
into consideration the complexity and demanding nature
of working activities and qualifications we recommend
to place the teacher's assistant into the 7 payment category.
Article 4 Effect
This Methodological decree comes into effect as of September
1, 2002.
Peter Ponicky
Minister of Education
Slovak Republic
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