The Backbone of International Schools: How Teaching Assistants Hold It All Together
Teaching Assistants (TAs) are the quiet champions of international schools, bridging gaps between teachers, students, parents, and administration. They wear multiple hats, from facilitating student learning to managing classroom logistics. Yet, despite the importance of their role, TAs often remain unseen, underappreciated, and excluded from professional growth opportunities.
“Invisible” but Indispensable: The Reality of TAs
In my research, many TAs expressed a profound sense of invisibility. One TA stated, “I have a Thai master’s degree in education, you know?” she sighed. “It would be nice to be treated like we know what we are doing. It would be nice to have some basic human rights” (Killoran, 2019). Her words are a painful reminder of how the essential contributions of TAs are often minimized. Lehman (2020) echoes this sentiment, emphasizing the important role of TAs in maintaining classroom continuity, especially in culturally diverse, multilingual environments. Any lack of recognition can lead to decreased job satisfaction and motivation, ultimately impacting student outcomes (Tarry & Cox, 2013).
Investing in TAs Through Professional Development
Recognizing these challenges, schools like ISHCMC have begun to prioritize TAs’ professional growth. Initiatives such as partnering with EduSpark, a self-paced platform, enable TAs to access essential educational resources with subtitles for non-native English speakers.
Celebrating Success: Data Speaks Volumes
In just three weeks on EduSpark, 83 courses were completed by TAs at ISHCMC, with an average of 20 Teaching Assistants logging in daily and a record-breaking 45 in one day! Popular courses included Safeguarding Training, Project Based Learning in Mathematics, Digital Citizenship in Early Childhood, and Don’t Ask Me Where I’m From - Teaching Third Culture Kids. These accomplishments reflect the wide interests and deep dedication that TAs have for professional growth. Initiatives like EduSpark provide a promising solution, empowering TAs with the tools they need to thrive. In the next year, the team plans to leverage this momentum for a TA conference for the three Cognita Schools in HCMC and, in the future, across the region.
Integrating TAs into professional development pathways fosters a more cohesive and effective school community (Tarry & Cox, 2014; Killoran, 2019). By investing in TA development, ISHCMC is preserving institutional knowledge through staff who provide continuity and embody the school’s values, even as foreign teachers transition to new international roles. Structured growth pathways empower TAs to evolve from supportive roles to essential educational team members, enhancing their impact on students’ learning and strengthening the school’s cultural and pedagogical foundation (Killoran, 2019; Lalwani & Fox, 2020).
References and Further Reading
Killoran, T. (2019, April 23). Equity agents: Creating an innovative learning culture with foreign teachers and Lăoshī 老师 within an international school. East Carolina University. http://hdl.handle.net/10342/7213
Tarry, E., & Cox, A. (2014). Professional development in international schools; issues of inclusion identified by a group of international school teaching assistants. Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs, 14(4), 248–254. https://doi.org/10.1111/1471-3802.12024
Tarry, E., & Cox, A. (2013). Supporting the professional development of teaching assistants in an international context. International Schools Journal, 33(1), 389–407. Article 3. https://doi.org/10.1080/09585170701590056
Lehman, Clayton. “Teaching Assistants in International Schools: Perceptions and Perspectives.” Beyond Words, vol. 8, no. 1, May. 2020, pp. 47–59, doi:10.33508/bw.v8i1.2145.
Lalwani, S., Fox, J. (2020). Teacher Education and the International Baccalaureate: Where Is the Evidence?. In: Fox, J., Alexander, C., Aspland, T. (eds) Teacher Education in Globalised Times. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-4124-7_10
