What You Need to Know About Teacher Assistant
Job Description & Duties Perform duties that are instructional in nature or deliver direct services to students or parents. Serve in a position for which a teacher has ultimate responsibility for the design and implementation of educational programs and services.
Teacher Assistant Responsibilities
- Instruct and monitor students in the use and care of equipment and materials to prevent injuries and damage.
- Tutor and assist children individually or in small groups to help them master assignments and to reinforce learning concepts presented by teachers.
- Supervise students in classrooms, halls, cafeterias, school yards, and gymnasiums, or on field trips.
- Plan, prepare, and develop various teaching aids, such as bibliographies, charts, and graphs.
- Operate and maintain audio-visual equipment.
- Distribute teaching materials, such as textbooks, workbooks, papers, and pencils to students.
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Things a Teacher Assistant Should Know How to Do
Below is a list of the skills most Teacher Assistants say are important on the job.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Instructing: Teaching others how to do something.
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Learning Strategies: Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others’ actions.
Other Teacher Assistant Job Titles
- Basic Skills Improvement Program Instructional Aide (BSIP Instructional Aide)
- Early Childhood Teacher Assistant (EC Teacher Assistant)
- Special Education Associate
- Kindergartners Helper
- Education Paraprofessional
Job Demand for Teacher Assistants
In 2016, there was an estimated number of 1,308,100 jobs in the United States for Teacher Assistant. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 8.4% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 109,500 new jobs for Teacher Assistant by 2026. The BLS estimates 147,900 yearly job openings in this field.
The states with the most job growth for Teacher Assistant are Utah, Colorado, and Nevada. Watch out if you plan on working in Vermont, Maine, or Connecticut. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Teacher Assistant Salary
The average yearly salary of a Teacher Assistant ranges between $18,670 and $41,020.
Teacher Assistants who work in Alaska, California, or Washington, make the highest salaries.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Teacher Assistants in different U.S. states.
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $21,190 |
Alaska | $39,640 |
Arizona | $25,620 |
Arkansas | $21,190 |
California | $35,350 |
Colorado | $29,900 |
Connecticut | $34,650 |
Delaware | $31,400 |
District of Columbia | $35,300 |
Florida | $25,010 |
Georgia | $21,770 |
Hawaii | $30,230 |
Idaho | $24,000 |
Illinois | $27,710 |
Indiana | $23,510 |
Iowa | $25,320 |
Kansas | $24,650 |
Kentucky | $27,290 |
Louisiana | $21,510 |
Maine | $33,600 |
Maryland | $33,280 |
Massachusetts | $35,680 |
Michigan | $27,570 |
Minnesota | $32,120 |
Mississippi | $19,940 |
Missouri | $27,220 |
Montana | $26,630 |
Nebraska | $26,540 |
Nevada | $31,080 |
New Hampshire | $30,770 |
New Jersey | $29,150 |
New Mexico | $22,180 |
New York | $31,330 |
North Carolina | $23,960 |
North Dakota | $32,550 |
Ohio | $27,290 |
Oklahoma | $19,900 |
Oregon | $32,210 |
Pennsylvania | $26,640 |
Rhode Island | $32,840 |
South Carolina | $23,240 |
South Dakota | $24,580 |
Tennessee | $24,890 |
Texas | $23,290 |
Utah | $26,230 |
Vermont | $32,630 |
Virginia | $28,000 |
Washington | $35,130 |
West Virginia | $24,940 |
Wisconsin | $29,320 |
Wyoming | $31,310 |
Tools & Technologies Used by Teacher Assistants
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Teacher Assistants:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Web browser software
- Data entry software
- Email software
- Word processing software
- Blackboard
- Children’s educational software
- Text to speech software
- Screen reader software
- Screen magnification software
- Student information systems SIS
- Hand held spell checkers
How do I Become a Teacher Assistant?
Are there Teacher Assistants education requirements?
What work experience do I need to become a Teacher Assistant?
Where Teacher Assistants Are Employed
Teacher Assistants work in the following industries:
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Those who work as a Teacher Assistant sometimes switch careers to one of these choices:
References:
Image Credit: IMCBerea College via Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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