Pre-professionalization teaching assistant employment contract
A brief overview
This employment contract enables students wishing to become teachers to gradually be part of the educational field by being in contact with pupils and teaching teams. It is accessible to all students from the second year of their undergraduate degree onwards. This program is open since 2019 for undergraduate students of mathematics, French or English. Since the beginning of the 2020 academic year, this program is open to German, Spanish, physics and chemistry students. In addition, this employment contract also exists for students who wish to become primary school teachers, but it is unfortunately not available in the Nancy-Metz academy.
Thus, the pre-professionalization teaching assistant employment contract allows a progressive and remunerated entry into the educational field. Students, who have then a three-year employment contract (renewable for one year if the student in question repeats a year), are supervised by a tutor for eight hours a week in the educational establishment which they are assigned to. In addition, this contract can be combined with the CROUS scholarship, which allows students to have a certain financial stability until their taking of the recruitment competitions of the Ministry of National Education (primary school teacher recruitment contest, CAPES, agrégation).
Students can then combine their university studies and their practical training in a school. As a result, this system enables students to theoretically train at the university, while preparing themselves in a practical way for the primary school teacher recruitment contest, or the French CAPES and agrégation.
Expected educational activities
Primary education
During their first year as teaching assistants in pre-professionalization, students are mostly in class to observe their tutor, but they can also intervene occasionally on teaching sequences under the responsibility of the teacher. In addition, students participate in homework and lesson tutoring.
During their second year as teaching assistants in pre-professionalization, students intervene more often in the classroom, especially during complementary educational activities, and carry out interventions under the responsibility of the teacher.
During their third year as teaching assistants in pre-professionalization, students carry out complete teaching sequences and may replace their tutor or other teachers in the educational establishment which they are assigned to. Students continue to participate in educational activities and other educational programs.
Secondary education
During their first year as teaching assistants in pre-professionalization, students observe classes and take note of the behaviour of the pupils and the teacher. They can also intervene in class under the supervision of the teacher. They participate in the “supervised homework” system to complete their professional integration.
During their second year as teaching assistants in pre-professionalization, students participate in the personalised accompanying of students – at least when it is implemented in schools. Students continue to intervene in class and participate in the “supervised homework” system. They also begin to participate in the educational path of pupils.
During their third as teaching assistants in pre-professionalization, students take charge of several classes, carry on full teaching sequences and can replace any teacher in the same discipline as them. In addition, students are expected to participate in many educational activities.
Personal experience in a secondary school
Graded responsibility
The pre-professionalization program allows a progressive entry into the educational environment, starting with observation. Afterwards, the tutor can ask his assistant to take pupils in charge by checking their homework, bringing them in class or correcting exercises. The aim is to achieve an integral take-over of the class during the last year of the contract, which corresponds to the first year of Master’s degree.
Supervised homework
Students can be led, from their first year as teaching assistants in pre-professionalization onwards, to take pupils in charge as part of the “supervised homework” system, in order to help pupils of different classes to do their homework, therefore in all subjects. This program is a time dedicated to the accompanying of pupils, individually or in small groups. Accompanying adults help pupils with their homework, which helps reduce social inequalities between them, and which promotes self-help.
Context of the Priority Education Area
In a school classified as “Education Action Zone,” teachers must constantly keep students under control. The needs of pupils inside and outside the school must be quickly identified in order to direct them to the right people (psychologists, social workers, etc.). Teachers in Priority Education Areas may be asked to welcome dyslexic or dysgraphic pupils, as well as allophone and special needs pupils, or even pupils from units aimed at school inclusion. De facto, more and more different profiles of pupils are present within a given class.
Laura’s personal opinion
I would like to become a primary school teacher. However, the teaching assistant program in pre-professionalization is not yet accessible in the first degree in the Nancy-Metz academy. Therefore, I chose, as part of my language studies, to apply in the secondary education field, as a teaching assistant in English. This contract gives me a theoretical background thanks to observation activities, but also a practical background thanks to my interventions in class. The “supervised homework” system enables me to cover all subjects and prepare myself to manage a class.
Thanks to this pre-professionalization employment contract, I think I can define myself as a trainee teacher. Indeed, this training offers a progressive entry into the profession of teacher and enables me to get ready for the recruitment competition, through both theoretical and practical contributions.
Doriane’s personal opinion
Personally, I have always enjoyed the school environment, as well as learning new things, and this is the reason why, at the end of my first year as an undergraduate student, I decided to apply for a position of teaching assistant in pre-professionalization and was assigned to the Albert Camus high school in Jarville-la-Malgrange at the beginning of my second year as an undergraduate. This experience in pre-professionalization was a real advantage since it allowed me to be confronted with the educational environment eight hours per week, and thus to the job of English teacher in secondary education.
Nevertheless, at the end of my second year as an undergraduate, I decided to break my employment contract. Indeed, the Albert Camus high school was classified as a Priority Education Area, and I was shocked by the lack of interest and of respect of pupils. It was far too heavy for me to handle my mental stress, and I preferred to sacrifice my employment contract for the benefit of my mental health.
Any question?
In order to have more information on the pre-professionalization teaching assistant employment contract, please click here.
If you have any question related to this program, please contact Laura or Doriane.
Temporary employment contract in a multimedia library
Laurine's personal experience
As someone who has always been passionate about the world of books and publishing, I had the chance to work during the 2019 summer vacation period at the multimedia library of Haut-du-Lièvre. For me, it was a very rewarding work experience as it enabled me to be skillful: I did internal work, I repaired bindings, changed ribs, I led discussion workshops with children, I set up the shelves of crime novels, I made reclassifications, storage works, etc. And after this rich experience in learning, I was recommended to Nancy.
Thus, I became a casual worker of the Manufacture multimedia library. My role, two weekends per month, is to handle public service and the reception of users. I have to pass the books back and on loan. It requires a good use of the V-smart software, which is the software which enables the search of documents and which makes it possible to ensure loans, returns and the bookings of users. I am assigned to different sections – the youth section, the adult section and the video games section. This enables me to be energetic and very skillful since I have to welcome users, to give advice, to answer phone calls, to book documents and to ensure animation in the video games section. This student job gives me a good general knowledge because I have to stay up to date with the new publishing season. It also helps me improve my self-confidence because I have to make decisions on my own, when the permanent post holders are absent, in order to guide users according to their requests. This job is very fulfilling, and I am very lucky to work in an environment which promotes an openness to culture.
Any question?
If you have any question related to this employment contract, please contact Laurine.