Circular 2020/04 - Variation to the Support Staff in Schools' Collective Agreement - Settlement of the Teacher Aide Pay Equity Claim

• Works with students under teacher supervision on a set variety of standardised and specified tasks e.g. Early Words, SRA reading programme.
• Assists students to stay on task.
• Monitors and observes students and acts to build trusting relationships with students and colleagues.
• Responsible for own work under regular supervision although may show others how to perform tasks as part of their orientation.
• Collaborates with others in their team.
• Prepares resources required by the class e.g. photocopying, laminating, paint preparation.
• Respects and accommodates language, heritage and cultures in a multi-cultural environment.

• Primary responsibility of the role is the health and safety of a student/s and may perform simple tasks related to feeding, personal hygiene and/or monitoring and observing these students inside or outside the classroom.

• Requires some familiarity and ability to function on an informal basis in a Māori cultural context AND/OR 
• Respects, accommodates and has some basic knowledge of  Māori language/pronunciation, culture, beliefs, values and heritage and an interest and commitment to further develop their reo.

• Works with individual students and small groups delivering a range of subjects and topics OR works more in depth in a single or limited range of subjects.
• Will make minor adaptions to lesson plans and resources to ensure learning objectives are achieved and in response to individual student needs.
• Designs activities to supplement programmes.
• Supports inclusion in school and amongst peers and takes appropriate action to support students’ wellbeing.
• Has more day to day independence although will have regular conversations with colleagues.
• Has occasional supervisory responsibility for other employees, parent help or volunteers.
• Uses a language other than English in daily conversations to provide assistance or respond to needs.
• Uses multi-cultural knowledge to guide students and colleagues or develop rapport.

• Provides direct support for specific health, behavioural and/or other needs of student/s in order to enhance the student’s ability to integrate, improve, be independent and participate more fully in the school
• Implements behavioural, physiotherapy, and/or occupational therapy programmes as
  prescribed by specialists.
• Responsible for a range of physical care and will be required to ensure the students’
  dignity is maintained.
• Precision in providing care and safe handling is required.
• If responsible for behavioural needs students, must be constantly monitoring for escalating behaviours and diffuse these situations.

Supporting, guiding reo and tikanga

• Adapts and prepares te reo Māori resources and activities to support programmes.
• Uses te reo Māori in daily conversations to provide assistance or respond to needs.
• Supports teachers by guiding students and colleagues in tikanga on marae and during pōwhiri
• Participates in activities that encourage kaitiakitanga.
• Supports and encourages the use of te reo in the classroom.

Independently delivers ongoing programmes with ability to adapt as required

• Has a high level of day to day independence which includes planning tasks and activities and clear accountability for delivering specific programmes to agreed standards.
• Will involve tailoring, testing, adapting and creating individual plans and resources within the programme.
• Provides regular provision of coaching and mentoring, guidance and training to other employees.
• Will identify and take action to understand the causes of students’ emotional states and provide appropriate support or alert others where escalation is required.
• Provides cultural leadership which requires specific language skills, knowledge and expertise. Translates resources and materials into languages other than English 
• Provides translation support for students.

Supports students with complex health, behavioural and/or other needs

• Specific expertise requiring active intervention to support students with additional needs. These needs include some or all of medical, behavioural, academic, pastoral and personal care. Skills may include learned  physiotherapy techniques, proficiency in braille, sign, Makaton, and medical support e.g. mic-key. 
• If responsible for behavioural needs students, must be constantly vigilant for escalating behaviours and defuses difficult situations which may pose risks to themselves or others e.g.: deescalating to avoid the need for restraint.
• Supports a student’s wellbeing by engaging with family to address identified pastoral issues and enhance the student’s ability to attend school and/or participate. This would include assisting new migrants with their transition into Aotearoa New Zealand culture and environment.

Speaks and role models te reo

• Delivers te reo Māori programmes including adapting and preparing resources and activities.
• Translates resources and learning materials into te reo Māori.
• Speaks te reo Māori when  representing the school in the community.
• Coordinates and delivers kapa haka and/or other Māori arts programmes.
• Uses knowledge of students’ background and whānau in order to make connections and provide appropriate support.
• Works with whānau and kaiako to support and encourage students’ learning.
• Provides leadership at cultural events.

Creates, plans and delivers ongoing programmes requiring strong technical proficiency and skills

• Develops programmes, lesson plans and associated resources.
• Develops and organises or has a major collaboration role in a number of complex activities or programmes requiring the development and approval of longer term plans.
• The role de-escalates emotionally charged situations and overcomes significant barriers to learning by employing a wide range of techniques and competencies over time.
• The role has permanent supervision of other Teacher Aides or support staff.
• Requires immersion in at least two cultures and provides leadership across cultural boundaries.

Provides highly specialised support for students with complex health, behavioural and/or other needs

• Highly specialised skills are required to provide services to students with highly complex needs.
• In-depth understanding of the students’ conditions and capabilities involves the independent or shared responsibility to amend, adjust or modify the level and type of support in response to progress or change.
• Formulates programmes for student/s.
• Leads crisis management interventions.
• The role de-escalates extreme emotionally charged situations and overcomes significant barriers to learning by employing a wide range of techniques and competencies over time.
• If working with behavioural students will need to be aware and respond to unpredictable behaviours where there are significant risks of harm to the student or others.
• Provides pastoral support, services or cultural liaison to student families on the school’s behalf, to enable them to engage with education, integrate into the community and/or access appropriate community assistance.

A strong leader and advocate for te reo Māori in the kura and community

• Plans, coordinates develops and delivers learning programmes to support students’ achievement in Te Marautanga o Aotearoa.
• Teaches subjects from Marau ā-kura in the national or local curriculum.
• Provides expert advice and guidance to teachers on te reo Māori, tikanga and/or how best to work with Māori students.
• Supports Kaiako and works with whānau to address serious issues of physical, emotional and/or mental wellbeing of students.
• The role requires a high level of fluency and good tikanga to apply a broad application of te reo Māori skills, customary concepts and traditions together with the ability to function effectively in Māori culture.
• Provides leadership in the school and/or community.