Teaching Assistants, Preschool, Elementary, Middle, and Secondary School, Except Special Education: Career Overview
Assist a preschool, elementary, middle, or secondary school teacher with instructional duties. Serve in a position for which a teacher has primary responsibility for the design and implementation of educational programs and services.
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What Do Teaching Assistants, Preschool, Elementary, Middle, and Secondary School, Except Special Education Perform?
The core tasks performed by teaching assistants, preschool, elementary, middle, and secondary school, except special education include:
- Supervise students in classrooms, halls, cafeterias, school yards, and gymnasiums, or on field trips.
- Tutor and assist children individually or in small groups to help them master assignments and to reinforce learning concepts presented by teachers.
- Enforce administration policies and rules governing students.
- Teach social skills to students.
- Instruct and monitor students in the use and care of equipment and materials to prevent injuries and damage.
- Discuss assigned duties with classroom teachers to coordinate instructional efforts.
- Present subject matter to students under the direction and guidance of teachers, using lectures, discussions, supervised role-playing methods, or by reading aloud.
- Clean classrooms.
Key Skills and Knowledge
Effective teaching assistants, preschool, elementary, middle, and secondary school, except special education draw on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Most Important Skills
These are the skills most central to this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Other Teaching Assistants, Preschool, Elementary, Middle, and Secondary School, Except Special Education Job Titles
People in this occupation may also be known by titles such as:
- BSIP Instructional Aide (Basic Skills Improvement Program Instructional Aide)
- Bilingual Teacher Aide
- Classroom Aide
- Classroom Assistant
- Early Childhood Teacher Assistant (EC Teacher Assistant)
- Education Paraprofessional
- Educational Assistant
- Educational Assistant Teacher
Job Outlook
The U.S. employs around 473,791 teaching assistants, preschool, elementary, middle, and secondary school, except special education working in the United States today. Employment is projected to grow by +9.8% over the projection horizon.
Salary for Teaching Assistants, Preschool, Elementary, Middle, and Secondary School, Except Special Education
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $89,337 |
| Hourly median | $42.95 |
| 10th percentile | $55,966 |
| 25th percentile | $72,651 |
| 75th percentile | $106,022 |
| 90th percentile | $122,707 |
Pay can vary substantially based on experience, location, and industry.
Tools and Technology
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
What the Workplace Is Like
The on-the-job environment of teaching assistants, preschool, elementary, middle, and secondary school, except special education reflects the following characteristics:
- Contact With Others
- Physical Proximity
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
- Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results
Education and Training
Typical teaching assistants, preschool, elementary, middle, and secondary school, except special education positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. This occupation sits in Medium Preparation Needed (Job Zone 3), indicating the level of preparation typically expected.
Other Careers to Consider
Similar Occupations
- Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary (Supplemental)
- Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors (Supplemental)
- Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education (Supplemental)
- Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education (Supplemental)
- Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education (Primary-Short)
- Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education (Primary-Long)
- Career/Technical Education Teachers, Middle School (Supplemental)
- Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education (Supplemental)
Where to Study
Future teaching assistants, preschool, elementary, middle, and secondary school, except special education often complete programs in:
Education
4 programs across 3 majors
Sources
This profile draws on the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 25-9042.00 (Teaching Assistants, Preschool, Elementary, Middle, and Secondary School, Except Special Education).