Career: Teacher Assistants
Teacher assistants can play a key role in successful classrooms. Doing everything from helping students research reports to making photocopies, they make it possible for teachers to focus on lesson planning and teaching.
These days, teacher assistants are perhaps especially important. Students with special needs -- such as special education students and those who speak a primary language other than English -- are joining general education classrooms. Teacher assistants give these students extra help so they can keep up with their classmates.
Teacher assistants help teachers by performing a variety of tasks. These include supervising students, tutoring students one-on-one and in small groups, grading papers, and operating classroom equipment such as film projectors.
Did You Know?
- Sometimes teacher assistants are called "teacher aides," "instructional aides," or "paraprofessionals."
Are You Ready To...?
- Supervise students
- Work one-on-one with students who need additional help
- Grade homework and tests
- Use learning aids such as overhead projectors
- Take attendance
- Stock supplies
- Make copies
It Helps to Be...
Patient, fair, and open-minded. Your students may come from various cultural backgrounds and face different learning challenges. You'll want to be at ease whether supervising an entire class or working one-on-one with students. You'll also want to be comfortable both taking direction and working independently.
Make High School Count
- Do paid or volunteer work as a tutor, camp counselor, or coach.
- Study psychology and family and consumer science to develop your communication skills and learn about issues affecting families and children.
- Speak with teacher assistants about their jobs.
- Absorb as much as you can in all of your classes so you will be ready to tutor students in any subject.
- Practice using computers and technological devices such as video players.
- Learn a second language such as Spanish.
Did You Know?
- Some teacher assistants work in computer labs, where they help students use computers and educational software programs.
Outlook
Government economists expect jobs for teacher assistants to grow as fast as the average for all occupations through 2014. Areas where population and school enrollments are growing most quickly, such as many communities in the South and West, should have a strong need for teacher assistants.
You can improve your chances of getting a good job if you have at least two years of formal education after high school, gain experience in special education, or speak a foreign language.
Compensation
Teacher assistants, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, earned an average yearly wage of $22,820 in 2007.
Many teacher assistants work part-time and do not receive benefits. Full-time teacher assistants usually receive health coverage and other benefits.
