Teacher of additional education: job responsibilities, rights and basic requirements

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

If each child is introduced to who a teacher is before starting school, then the position of a teacher of additional education is not familiar to everyone.

In fact, quite often experts in this field are in front of our eyes. A continuing education teacher teaches subjects and courses that are not part of the required curriculum. As a rule, they lead circles, sections, studios.

Despite the fact that most children and their parents associate electives with relaxation and free time (albeit with benefit), the duties of a teacher of additional education are quite extensive. In terms of responsibility, his work is in no way inferior to the work of a teacher at a school or higher educational institution.

Who is an additional teachereducation

Most parents don't want their child's best interests to be limited to school. Moreover, many children themselves strive to develop in different areas.

For this, there are various optional activities: courses, clubs and more. They can be associated with both intellectual pursuits and sports. For example, an English or French language club, computer science courses, a vocal studio, a sports school, dance lessons - all this equally applies to additional education.

As a rule, even first-graders already have some interests or preferences, on the basis of which they can decide on the choice of studios or circles to attend after school hours.

As mentioned earlier, the teacher of additional education is responsible for electives. These electives can be both at a school or university, and in a specialized institution: a house of children's and youth creativity, a private or state art studio, a music or dance school, and so on.

Any sample of the job description of a teacher of additional education, first of all, assumes the availability of proper qualifications for the implementation of pedagogical activities. First of all, we are talking about specialized pedagogical education. In addition, it is important to have confirmation of the skills that the teacher is going to teach children.

Employee requirements and job responsibilities

The list of requirements for teachers givesgrounds to assert that not everyone can become the head of an elective. An ideal specialist should not only have the appropriate education and the necessary qualifications (which is also important), but also be able to competently organize classes and find a common language with the visitors of the elective. It is especially difficult for those who combine work at school and conducting extracurricular activities. Typically, such specialists get used to strict discipline in the classroom and demand the same in additional classes, forgetting that additional classes have a freer and even playful form. This does not mean at all that discipline should be absent: it just needs to take a slightly different form.

It is also important to remember that a teacher of additional education works not only with children, but also with adolescents: electives can be organized both on the basis of a school and on the basis of higher educational institutions. In addition, there are various private and budgetary studios responsible for extracurricular training, where both children and adults can be invited to take classes.

The duties of a teacher of additional education include:

• Composing groups to participate in classes. Since electives are not required to attend, the teacher must be able to correctly present his studio or his circle and motivate students to visit it.
• Compilation of training programs, methodological materials, development of curricula for classes.
• Organization of events in which pupils of the elective course can participate: reporting concerts,seminars, festivals, competitions and more.
• Education of students in the declared skills, systematized support for the level of developed talents.
• Consultation for parents on the development of certain talents and skills in the child, education.
• Methodological work.

The duties of a teacher of additional education can also be safely attributed to the systematic improvement of their level of qualification, otherwise, the knowledge and skills acquired by a specialist many years ago will gradually become obsolete.

In addition, the teacher must ensure the safety of all elective students during classes. To do this, you must have theoretical knowledge and practical skills on how to behave in extreme situations.

Differences in the work of a full-time teacher and a teacher of additional education

At first glance, it seems that the duties of a teacher of additional education are no different from the duties of any school teacher or teacher of a higher educational institution of any accreditation.

Indeed, there is a lot in common, but there are also some differences.

As mentioned earlier, it is important to understand that additional education is not basic, and pupils of electives have the right to stop classes at any time. This is what distinguishes the system of motivation. At a school, college, technical school or university, studying is a mandatory requirement for obtaining relevant knowledge, a certificate of education and, inconsequence, to get a good job. It is this fact that becomes the basis of student motivation. In extracurricular activities, the very fact of obtaining the necessary skills, first of all, for one's own development, is important, and all other factors are relegated to the background. The task of the teacher of additional education is to create a competent atmosphere and atmosphere in the classroom so that students do not lose interest in the subject being studied. As a rule, sincere interest is enough, since most elective students choose some kind of additional classes for their own development.

The duties of a teacher of additional education at school come down to not only organizing a circle or studio for students, but also helping them to combine learning the skills of a circle and rest with their main studies. As a rule, such circles and studios are organized within the walls of the school, and therefore it is psychologically difficult for children to reorganize. This is beneficial for the teacher, since the children still feel in the classroom, but not very reasonable from the standpoint of a competent methodology for extracurricular activities.

Organization of discipline in the classroom, teaching the subject, maintaining documentation, drawing up curricula, educating the personal qualities of students are the main job responsibilities of a teacher. Additional education at school has almost the same tasks with a small addition: it is not mandatory. Therefore, the head of the elective has no right to demand unquestioning obedience from the student. Instead, you can set a list of rules and familiarize children and their parents with them.

Ifthe elective course is organized on the basis of a school or university, which simplifies the task for the leader in organizing holidays and events. As a rule, events are already planned for various holidays in the educational institution, starting from the First Bell and ending on March 8th. If the elective is creative in nature (songs, dances, performances, etc.), then children usually perform at school holidays.

The duties of a teacher of additional education in a preschool educational institution are the same as those of a specialist of an identical position in other educational institutions. The difference is that things are more complicated with the organization of reporting activities if the DOE is of a budgetary nature. It is not always possible to provide sufficient funding for reporting concerts, not to mention the normal conditions for their holding.

Compilation of work programs

The instruction of the teacher of additional education at school involves not only teaching children in practice, but also preliminary planning of future lessons. To do this, you need to draw up a curriculum and work programs.

It is important that the work program is flexible enough so that it can be adapted to the needs and requirements of a particular group of elective pupils. Practice shows that there is not a single program so perfect that would fit any team without adaptation.

Besides, some teachers use the experience of foreign colleagues. In this case, it often becomes necessary to adapt foreign curricula to national andsocio-cultural characteristics of students.

It is worth noting that the curriculum is formalized in the form of an official regulatory document. It should consist of:

• Descriptions of the activities of the elective.
• Detailed hourly plan outlining the material studied during these hours.

The learning process must match the curriculum.

Passing certification

Educators and beginners alike know that their job is not just about teaching children or adults. Almost half of the working time is spent preparing documents (including working on curricula and filling out magazines), participating in teachers' councils, courses and webinars to improve qualifications.

The level of qualification also affects the amount of wages. Moreover, professional growth is the responsibility of a teacher of additional education at school, in a higher educational institution, and in a separate cultural organization.

Qualification of a teacher is determined by his results during certification, which is held on average once every five years. To do this, the educational institution where the teacher works gathers a special expert commission.

The result of certification should be the assignment of a category to a specialist. There are three categories for additional education teachers: first, second and higher.

Modern technologies at work

The functional duties of a teacher of additional educationalso includes the organization of the educational space, providing the students of the elective with everything necessary for normal work. As a rule, funding issues fall on the shoulders of heads of art institutions or directors of schools, universities, technical schools.

Nevertheless, the head of the elective must notify the authorities about the need for any materials or equipment for work and competently justify this.

Mostly, for sports or choreographic classes, non-technical equipment is required: mats, sports mats, a machine, balls, etc.

If the elective is aimed at studying computer science or languages, there is definitely a need for good technical equipment of the classroom.

In addition, the teacher himself must be able to correctly use technical progress. Having your own website or blog is a definite plus, despite the fact that this is not part of the job responsibilities of an additional education teacher. Colleges and universities often even teach the basics of building a simple website.

If it is not possible to create your own business card site, there should be at least a presentation that reflects the experience and approach of the teacher to learning.

Participation in professional competitions

Another thing that does not belong to the duties of a teacher of additional education, but at the same time gives huge advantages - participation in competitions.

Undoubtedly, certificates and diplomas confirming the victory of elective pupils in competitions and festivals,also go to the teacher's portfolio as a bonus, but their own victories in pedagogical competitions are valued much more.

There are a lot of competitions that evaluate the quality of the developed methodological program, curriculum. Another option is the preparation of articles or even entire scientific monographs on the approach to working with children: in this case, usually it is only supposed to be published in a collective collection and awarded a certificate.

If a teacher leads classes in creative subjects, he can participate in high-level creative competitions for dancers, musicians, singers, depending on his field of activity.

Professional rights and their protection

It is worth remembering that teachers of additional education have the right to protect working conditions. As a rule, heads of educational institutions are responsible for ensuring normal work activities for their employees.

Protection of the rights of a teacher of additional education begins with the fact that every specialist should know them. Educators are en titled to:

• Normal statutory working day. The number of working hours per week should not exceed 40 for those who work for a wage.
• Professional development.
• Making demands on children and their parents to maintain discipline and maintain a normal atmosphere for the implementation of the educational process.
• Statutory leave.

Many rights have something in common with the duties of a teacher of additional education. This ensuresthe normal level of modern teachers who are interested in both personal and professional growth.

Advice and recommendations for young teachers

Many young educators need advice from older comrades. Here are a few.

• Although additional education is not included in the main curriculum, it is necessary to maintain the proper level of discipline. In order not to overdo it and turn extracurricular activities into standard school, it is necessary to find an adequate approach to establishing discipline so that the atmosphere during classes remains relaxed, but quite conducive to study.
• The rights and obligations of a teacher of additional education must be respected equally. If, for some reason, duties are prioritized over rights, this is cause for concern. An example of a violation would be a situation where the authorities forcibly demand hours of work before an important event, but do not give time off after that.
• Consider the age of the pupils. The curriculum should be adapted to this factor.

CV

An additional education teacher has an equally important task than a school or university teacher. It should help the learner or student to develop their skills in their chosen field. Any elective course implies full involvement in the process, therefore the teacher of additional education is almost no different from the classical teacher. The need for documentation and ongoing recertificationpresent equally.