Leading in Your Role: Teaching Assistants
Holistic Student Development in International Schools
*Course content includes presentations in English or Mandarin Chinese.
Register now for 1-year access to online recorded content and resources for teaching and non-teaching assistants, and co-teachers.
Designed for TAs.
This live facilitated online conference is specifically designed for teaching and non-teaching assistants, and co-teachers. It is also relevant for teachers who work with teaching assistants or parents who are interested in developing their children holistically. The purpose of this conference is to help participants to develop practices and skills in partnering with their teachers and parents to assist students in achieving their full learning potential.
Target Audience
Teaching assistants, learning support and library assistants, arts/music/PE assistants, lab assistants, child-care assistants, co-teachers, and teachers of international/bilingual schools.
Interested parents are welcome to participate.
Languages
English or Mandarin Chinese (depending on the presentations)
What People Are Saying
“I came, I grow.”
— Annie Lv, Suzhou Singapore International School
“[If you] want to be better [at your job], please join us at the next conference.”
— Carrie Chu, Dulwich College Beijing
“Learning, improved, and inspired.”
— Vicky Gao, Hangzhou International School
“The whole training is very informative and really inspired me in many ways.”
— Sonia Zhang, Tsinghua International School
“Learning from awesome people from different backgrounds.”
— Jane Zhang, Nanjing International School
“Everyone here understands you.”
— Effie Sun, TEDA Global Academy
What will I learn?
Many schools are realizing that students need more than just academic rigor. Holistic education is a comprehensive approach to teaching where educators seek to address the students’ emotional, social, ethical, cultural, and intellectual needs in an integrated learning environment. It emphasizes the whole growth of a learner instead of emphasizing only specific aspects of the human experience. These include but are not limited to listening skills, resolving conflicts, manners, learning from failures, mental health, reflection and self-assessment, balance, and achieving one’s dreams.
While school leaders set the tone of whether learning environments will focus on academic-centric or holistic learning approaches, classroom professionals, including teaching and non-teaching assistants, play a vital role in implementing the learning philosophies. As a result, they have the most incredible opportunity to help students discover their identities and find meaning in community and world connections through holistic teaching methods.
By the end of the conference, participants will be able to:
Fully understand the meaning of holistic education.
Identify the benefits of holistic education.
Discover the various areas of child development.
Learn the role of assistants, co-teachers, and teachers in holistic education.
Determine the optimal conditions or environments for holistic learning and development.
Acquire knowledge, insights, and skills for developing the students holistically.
Network with assistants, co-teachers, and teachers from other international/bilingual schools.
How will I learn?
Based on extensive research, we have developed a model for virtual professional development that will:
Enable participants to enjoy a mix of content delivery methods to meet the needs of various learning styles and preferences, including but limited to lecturers, case studies, role-plays, discussions, and video productions.
Challenge participants to apply knowledge and tools introduced throughout the conference to their own working context.
Connect participants to process content collectively and share unique experiences and perspectives in small and large groups.
Allow participants to review the presentations at their own convenience for 12 months after the conference to reinforce their learning.
We have prepared a Visible Thinking Routine worksheet for learners to fill out and reflect on their learning progresses during the course.
Course Content
The Purpose and Goals of Holistic Education
(English and Mandarin Chinese)
The purpose of holistic education is to prepare students to meet academics and living challenges. The philosophy of educating the whole person, beyond core academics – is gaining momentum in learning circles. Many schools are realizing that students need more than just academic rigor. Holistic education is a comprehensive approach to teaching where educators seek to address the students’ emotional, social, ethical, cultural, and intellectual needs in an integrated learning environment.
Holistic education is based on a learning philosophy that benefits to students, teachers, schools, and communities. Students are empowered to improve their educational outcomes and gain the life skills necessary to take on a successful professional career and live a happy, balanced life.
The Role of a Teaching Assistant in Holistic Education
(English and Mandarin Chinese)
Education professionals, including teaching assistants, play a significant role in instructing the whole person. The responsibilities of an educator go beyond the teaching of core academics. It requires them to work closely with school administrators and parents/guardians to develop a child. An African proverb aptly puts it, “It takes a village to raise a child.” All adults, including teaching assistants and non-teaching assistants, must be involved in building children holistically.
Holistic Elements of Child Development
(English and Mandarin Chinese)
What is child development? As children get older, they develop in various ways covering physical, intellectual, social, and emotional changes. It is the process that every child goes through and includes everything from physical skills such as sitting and standing to social and emotional skills such as smiling or forming relationships with others. This session provides a broad perspective on holistic education.
Establishing a Stimulating Environment for Holistic Education
(English and Mandarin Chinese)
Lessons conducted in a safe, supportive, and stimulating environment will allow students to utilize their strengths to develop every aspect of their lives. While holistic education is guided by one overarching philosophy, teachers may employ several methods and strategies to create a holistic learning environment.
Essential Life Skills Students Don’t Learn at School
(English and Mandarin Chinese)
School is the place where students spend a great amount of time during the developmental stages of their lives. Yet, despite having acquired a great deal of knowledge, they often enter adult life unprepared. An education should involve learning life skills that a person will carry with them after their K-12 education to navigate relationships and careers and be a well-rounded, successful person.
That is because many critical life skills are never taught at school. And, if educators and parents do not find ways of teaching these life skills to students, they may spend their entire lives not learning the life skills.
There’s much more to life than core academic subjects. What follows is a basic curriculum in life that a child should know before reaching adulthood. These two sessions provide a list as a starting point that you can add to this list.
Apart from the above topics, experienced teaching assistants and educators, who have been in the role for more than five years, will share their practical skills and helpful tips. This includes a short presentation of their knowledge and experience and a Q&A session that are in either English or Mandarin Chinese depending on the presenter.
Start supporting your TAs more comprehensively.
“I met some fantastic people and learned a lot about my role as a TA.”
— Gabrielle McCann, Australian International School Hong Kong
“Education is more than just about academics. Emphasize character building; it is what will make the world a better place. Your actions matter.”
— Isma Hussain, Yew Chung International School Hong Kong
“In this conference, you are not only a learner but also a teacher. You will think about your job differently after interacting with many peers who play the same role in other schools.”
— Nini Ni, Beijing City International School
“TAs are also Teaching Angels who shouldn't underestimate themselves.”
— Christel Luo, Nanjing International School
Full-year access to recorded content and learning materials of 28 presentations.
Individual Registration
USD50
Bulk Registration for School Staff
USD500+
If your school is registering for more than 20 users, it will be 25USD for every additional user.