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All About Teacher Assistants

Teacher Assistant Job Description 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.

Life As a Teacher Assistant: What Do They Do?

  • Organize and supervise games and other recreational activities to promote physical, mental, and social development.
  • Operate and maintain audio-visual equipment.
  • Present subject matter to students under the direction and guidance of teachers, using lectures, discussions, or supervised role-playing methods.
  • Participate in teacher-parent conferences regarding students’ progress or problems.
  • Attend staff meetings and serve on committees, as required.
  • Prepare lesson materials, bulletin board displays, exhibits, equipment, and demonstrations.

Things a Teacher Assistant Should Know How to Do

These are the skills Teacher Assistants say are the most useful in their careers:

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.

  • Instructional Assistant
  • Substitute Teacher
  • Student Teacher
  • Special Education Aide
  • Bilingual Teacher Aide

What Kind of Teacher Assistant Job Opportunities Are There?

In the United States, there were 1,308,100 jobs for Teacher Assistant in 2016. 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. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 147,900 job openings in this field each year.

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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.

Do Teacher Assistants Make A Lot Of Money?

The salary for Teacher Assistants ranges between about $18,670 and $41,020 a year.

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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

What Tools do Teacher Assistants Use?

Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Teacher Assistants may use on a daily basis:

  • 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?

What kind of Teacher Assistant requirements are there?

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How many years of work experience do I need?

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Teacher Assistants Sector

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The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.

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Career changers with experience as a Teacher Assistant sometimes find work in one of the following fields:

References:

Image Credit: IMCBerea College via Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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