Teacher perceptions of their relationship with teaching assistants

Pojavom filozofije inkluzije i „škole za sve“, uključivanje djece s teškoćama u redovan sustav odgoja i obrazovanja je proizvelo mnoge promjene koje su, između ostalog, dovele do povećanja broja pomoćnika u nastavi. Oni su svojim svakodnevnim radom u neposrednom odnosu s učenicima, ali i učiteljima. Cilj ovog istraživanja je uvidom u perspektivu učitelja ispitati njihov dosadašnji i trenutni odnos s pomoćnicima u nastavi. Na taj način se nastoje osvijestiti ključna područja njihovog odnosa koja u budućnosti mogu biti od pomoći prilikom razvoja programa unapređivanja kvalitete suradnje. Sudionice ovog istraživanja su četiri učiteljice razredne nastave OŠ Trnjanska. Podaci su prikupljeni metodom fokus grupnog intervjua te su analizirani i obrađeni metodom kvalitativne analize. Rezultati istraživanja upućuju na specifična područja odnosa učitelj – pomoćnik u nastavi, a ona uključuju: prepreke u odnosu, pozitivne aspekte odnosa, načine unapređenja odnosa, zadaće i uloge, utjecaj odnosa na profesionalni razvoj učitelja te savjete učiteljima koji prvi puta surađuju s pomoćnicima u nastavi. Također, sudionice istraživanja navode preduvjete na razini škole i države koje je potrebno zadovoljiti kako bi se odnos učitelja i pomoćnika unaprijedio.Inclusion of children with disabilities had a great impact and produced many changes in regular school system. Some of them are increased number of teaching assistants. Their main goal is to support students with disabilities in learning and developing friendships with their peers. Also, they are working with teachers with whom they develop specific relationship. Aim of this study is to gain insight into teachers' perspective about their relationship with teaching assistants. In that way we want to identify key areas of their relationship which can be helpful in creating programmes with focus on improvement of their relationship. Participants of this study are four teachers of Elementary school „Trnjanska“. Data were collected trough focus group interview and then analyzed with qualitative methodology. The results point on specific areas of teacher - teaching assistant relationship, which include: negative aspects of relationship, positive aspects of relationship, methods of relationship improvement, roles and duties, relationship impact on teachers professional development and advices to teahcer who work for the first time with teaching assistants. Also, participants mentioned specific preconditions which needs to be met on a school and state level so that teahcer - teaching assistants relationship can be improved