Good Teacher’s Assistants are invaluable as they take care of many of the time-consuming aspects of the classroom and enable the classroom teacher to devote more time to actual teaching, and planning.  There is presently a great demand for skilled and qualified Teacher’s Assistants.

To become a good Teacher’s Assistant, you must be patient, fair, and interested in learning.  You must be able to take direction and be comfortable dealing with individuals and small groups.  You must be skilled in speaking, reading, and writing English.  You must be in good health and able to stand for long periods of time.  Working in a classroom is demanding, both mentally and physically.  A Teacher’s Assistant must be able to deal calmly with all situations and must be dedicated to assisting the  classroom teacher in whatever capacity is required.  Both males and females are needed in this challenging and rewarding field.

The day of a Teacher’s Assistant is filled with a myriad of activities, which vary depending on the type of classroom.  Duties may involve supervision, assistance with dressing, setting up the classroom for the day, preparing teaching materials, keeping records, marking papers, reviewing material taught, providing on-on-one attention when needed, or providing further supervision in the playground, lunchroom, or on field trips.  In classrooms where children have special needs, you may be required to feed, change,  clean or dress students, or assist them to integrate as much as possible in regular classes and on the playground.  Lifting may be required.  These are the classrooms where the job is the most challenging and the most rewarding.

Teachers’ Assistants work in safe, well-lit classrooms.  They may choose to work part-time or full time.   Assistants are needed from Kindergartens through High School.  If you are considering a career as a classroom teacher, working as a Teacher’s Assistant will give you a good indication of what teaching involves.  Some Assistants move on to take teacher training while other choose to remain, increasing their earning potential and responsibilities.

Although the education needed to become a Teacher’s Assistant varies greatly from State to State, some areas still only require a High School diploma plus on-the-job training.  It is always desirable to have some experience working with children whether paid of voluntary.

If you want to become a Teacher’s Assistant, it is always preferable to have formal training, in fact, some areas insist on at least a diploma or even an Associate Degree.  Make sure the courses you choose are relevant to learning, teaching, and child development.  If you are considering a job as a Teacher’s Assistant, contact your local school board to see what their requirements are and what training programs they advise.