Probably a stupid question but...

Newteacher

What is a Resource Teacher exactly?

I dropped off my CV to a school this morning and the secretary told me that she thinks they might be looking for a Resource Teacher in my subjects after midterm. I said "that's great" but what does that mean? I didn't want to appear stupid by asking her....I would really appreciate if anyone could tell me what is involved in Resource Teaching?

Thanks a million everyone!

nicmc

Hi, a Resource Teacher is a teacher who works with a small group of students who may learning difficulties. Sometimes the resource teacher will help the mainstream teacher through team teaching and provide extra assistance to the students who find the subject difficult. Hope this helps.

E.T.

A resource teacher works with children who have specific difficulties which have been diagnosed by an educational psychologist or other similar professional. Only certain difficulties fall under the resource category eg autism, general and specific learning difficulties, ASD, certain speech and language disorders, dyspraxia among others. Pupils are assigned a specific number of hours based on their diagnosis and the school must provide these hours.

Learning support teachers are easier to explain - they give extra assistance to children who are having difficulties with their work, but do not have to have a diagnosed condition in general. Unfortunately the department has included dyslexia in this category so pupils aren't guaranteed enough hours for assistance.

Some schools have combined Learning Support/Resource teachers who would provide support for children from both categories.

Newteacher

Thank you so much guys .... you are a great help!

Could I also ask....

• Being a mainstream secondary teacher, with no resource experience, do you think I would even get an interview? (my grades are excellent)
• does a resource teacher work the same hours as a regular teacher?
• does a resource teacher get paid on the same scale as if she were hired to a regular subject position?

Thank you so much!!

byhookorbycrook

Resource teachers get same pay and work the same hours, unless it is a part time position.

Newteacher

I'm sorry to say that I'm confused....

From what you say ET, it looks like a resource teacher needs to be qualified with respect to specific diagnosed learning difficulties? I'm not qualified in resource. Am I wasting my time trying to work in resource in my subjects?

Thanks everybody!

implausible

Newteacher wrote: »

From what you say ET, it looks like a resource teacher needs to be qualified with respect to specific diagnosed learning difficulties? I'm not qualified in resource. Am I wasting my time trying to work in resource in my subjects?

Ideally, all resource teachers would have qualifications and expertise in working with children with special needs. However, in my experience this is not the case. In many schools, resource is often a 'filler' in the timetable, where anyone can be asked to do it. What all schools will have is someone who co-ordinates the resource teaching and who will be able to give direction to the teachers engaged in it.

Look, it all probably sounds quite daunting to you, but there will be materials available in the resource room and a teacher to help you. There may be team-teaching involved too. There may be a lot of prep to be done, but the upside is you would be working one-on-one or with small groups.

Experience in any school teaching anything is not to be sneezed at in the current climate.

Newteacher

Thanks Deemark! I'm going for it!!! Will let you know how I get on! Thanks for all your help!

byhookorbycrook

Look at sess.ie and get familar with various learning differences.

Newteacher

Thanks Byhook! Willdo!

evolving_doors

nicmc wrote: »

Sometimes the resource teacher will help the mainstream teacher through team teaching and provide extra assistance to the students who find the subject difficult. Hope this helps.

I think if a 'resource teacher' is being used by a school for 'team teaching' or in xome cases as a 'classroom assistant' then it begs the question 'how does that particular student who is assigned the resource hours benefit most from this situation? as opposed to withdrawing the student for 1 to 1 tuition. Looks like this 'team teaching/classroom assistant' thing is being used as an aid to cope with overcrowded classrooms.


Anyhow that's my nit-pickin rant, maybe a new thread is necessary as NewTeachers thread seems to have been answered.

peanuthead

Armelodie wrote: »

I think if a 'resource teacher' is being used by a school for 'team teaching' or in xome cases as a 'classroom assistant' then it begs the question 'how does that particular student who is assigned the resource hours benefit most from this situation? as opposed to withdrawing the student for 1 to 1 tuition. Looks like this 'team teaching/classroom assistant' thing is being used as an aid to cope with overcrowded classrooms.


Anyhow that's my nit-pickin rant, maybe a new thread is necessary as NewTeachers thread seems to have been answered.

I don't agree. There is a social element to school life for students too and I don't believe that 1-1 withdrawal is always the best solution. In fact I believe it should be the last option.

Team teaching provides help for that student in the very same way that 1-1 would if the resource teacher is doing her job properly.

The students gets the extra help he needs in an environment that is non-exclusive and doesn't make him feel any less involved in the class than withdrawl would.

Students are very self conscious in secondary school, in particular 1st and 2nd year and in my opinion segregating students from the class is just highlighting them as different even more so.

I'm of the same opinion when it comes to exclusively separating special needs classes from their peers for their whole timetable, but thats another thread.

amz5

The courses run by ICEPE are very highly regarded and having a cert from one of their courses would look very good on your CV if you are appying for a Learning support/Resource position. I did one of their courses during the summer (I'm at primary level) and I found it very good. I did the one on ABA but I have the notes from a few of their other courses as teachers give feedback from lots of courses in our school. Everybody finds their courses very useful. The courses run over the summer entitle primary teachers to EPV days so they are highly regarded by the Dept of Education. I think they give discounts to teachers. They give discounts during the summer anyway. This one seems to cover a wide range of learning difficulties
http://www.icepe.ie/general-learning-difficulties.html
I'd imagine it'd help you even if you were working in a mainstream class, so it wouldn't be a waste of time either way.

PS - I am in no way linked to this course provider as any background check of my posts would suggest. I'm just a regular primary teacher!

byhookorbycrook

+1 for ICEP

gaeilgegrinds1

Am very pro-team teaching. Have been a major part of introducing this in our school and it really works.

E.T.

I'd recommend ICEPE too, I did their course on Asperger's Syndrome and it was excellent, very informative and interesting.