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Teachers as Special Needs Assistants?

  • 27-08-2012 6:39pm
    #1
    Heydeldel
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 343 ✭✭


    Hi all,

    I'm a Post - Primary NQT with English as my teaching subject. I'm on the job hunt and wondering about applying for a special needs assistant job.

    What are the requirements for the job/ am I eligible?

    What are the pros and cons of going for an SNA position?

    Any advice/info is appreciated.

    Cheers.
    Tagged:


Comments

  • #2
    aunt aggie
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 454 ✭✭aunt aggie


    Well I know that its getting harder and harder for students to get special needs assistants unless they have a physical disability of some sort. This means that a lot of students with "social" problems including illiteracy arent elligable anymore. It's left a lot of qualified and experienced SNAs out of work so I personally wouldnt apply for those positions.

    Its also a very difficult job and pays a lot less than teaching. Its all about forming relationships with the students that allow the SNA to act as their advocate. I have never heard of a teacher applying for an SNA posiiton before but I understand... Still jobless this September....

    Is English your only subject? U might want to consider doing some inservices in literacy at your local education centre. Someone else on here might be able to suggest some specific courses that would make you more employable.


  • #3
    Heydeldel
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 343 ✭✭Heydeldel


    aunt aggie wrote: »
    Well I know that its getting harder and harder for students to get special needs assistants unless they have a physical disability of some sort. This means that a lot of students with "social" problems including illiteracy arent elligable anymore. It's left a lot of qualified and experienced SNAs out of work so I personally wouldnt apply for those positions.

    Its also a very difficult job and pays a lot less than teaching. Its all about forming relationships with the students that allow the SNA to act as their advocate. I have never heard of a teacher applying for an SNA posiiton before but I understand... Still jobless this September....

    Is English your only subject? U might want to consider doing some inservices in literacy at your local education centre. Someone else on here might be able to suggest some specific courses that would make you more employable.

    Thanks for the reply. I was just curious I suppose, seeing as the job situation is dismal. I understand that the SNA's already out there are finding it tough. I wanted to find out what the reaction would be. I thought it might be useful in terms of gaining experience working with students's with extra needs.

    I will def look into a literacy course.

    Cheers.


  • #4
    happywithlife
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,324 ✭✭✭happywithlife


    i've thought about this too in the past but decided against as i just felt
    that a principal would be slow to employ a teacher as an sna in case there were issues with authority in the classroom etc
    also, i've no formal training of dealing with issues like toileting and feeding, not to mention the raft of stuff that goes on outside the classroom that i don't even know enough about to even be able to think of ..
    also, you'd be committing for at least a year and what happens if a dream job comes up say after xmas - what would you do then?
    try to get as much subbing as you can to build up your cv instead


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