Teacher Assistant Training

Schools by State
for Teacher Assistants:

AK AZ CA CO GA HI IA IL IN KS KY MA MD ME MI MN MO MS MT NC ND NH NJ NM NY OH OR PA SD TX UT VA WA WI WV WY

Career Highlights for
Teacher Assistants

Training generally required for this career includes: Short-term on-the-job training.

Jobs and Salary
Median Salary (2008)	$22,200
Unemployment Vs. Other Jobs	Low
Jobs (2006)	1,312,000
Job Growth (2006-2016)	10.4%
Jobs (2016 forecast)	1,449,000

Flexibility
Working Part-Time	38%
Self-Employed	0%

Education of Current Workers
Bachelor Degree or Higher	18%
Some College	45%
High School or Less	37%

Relevant Job Titles

(Supplied by experts and industry contributors for this career category)

At Risk Paraprofessional
Basic Skills Improvement Program Instructional Aide (BSIP Instructional Aide)
Bilingual Teacher Aide
Classroom Aide
Classroom Teacher
Clerical Aide Teacher
Clerical Grader
Computer Aide
Computer Assistant
Computer Lab Assistant
Crisis Intervention Specialist
Early Childhood Teacher Assistant (EC Teacher Assistant)
ED Educational Aide (Emotionally Disturbed Educational Aide)
Education Paraprofessional
Educational Aid
Educational Assistant
Educational Assistant Teacher
Educational Resources Center Instructional Paraprofessional (ERC Instructional Paraprofessional)
Educational Technician
English Language Learner Tutor (ELL Tutor)
ESL Instructional Assistant (English as a Second Language Instructional Assistant)
ESL Tutor (English as a Second Language Tutor)
ESOL Teacher Assistant (English for Speakers of Other Languages Teacher Assistant)
Examination Grader
Examination Proctor
Examination Scorer
Exceptional Children Teacher Assistant
Exceptional Student Education Aide (ESE Aide)
Extended Resource Developmentally Delayed Assistant (Extended Resource DD Assistant)
Grader
Grading Clerk
Helper Teacher
In School Suspension Aide (ISS Aide)
In School Suspension Coordinator (ISS Coordinator)
Inclusion Paraeducator
Instructional Aide
Instructional Assistant
Itinerant Teacher Assistant
Kindergartners Helper
Learning Support Aide
Paper Grader
Para Educator
Para Professional
Paraeducator
Paraprofessional
Paraprofessional Aide
Paraprofessional Aide Teacher
Practice or Student Teacher
Proctor
Program Assistant
Public Health Training Assistant (PHTA)
Reading Aide
SLD Educational Aide (Specific Learning Disability Educational Aide)
Special Education Aide
Special Education Associate
Special Education Instructional Assistant
Special Education Paraeducator
Special Education Paraprofessional
Special Education Teacher
Special Education Teaching Assistant
Special Population Paraprofessional
Study Hall Supervisor
Substitute Teacher
Supervisory Aide
Teacher
Teacher Aide
Teacher Assistant
Teacher Associate
Teacher's Aide
Teachers Assistant
Teaching Aide
Teaching Assistant
Test Grader
TMD Teacher Assistant (Trainable Mentally Disabled Teacher Assistant)
Tutor
Visual Aid Expert

Information Sources

BrainTrack's information on colleges and careers is drawn from many sources, including government databases, BrainTrack's own research, and results from original data analysis algorithms.

Teacher Assistant Job Description

Career tips, salaries, and lists of schools.

Creating an effective learning environment in a classroom filled with 20-40 children is a challenge every day. While teachers focus on developing lesson plans and teaching the curricula, they rely on the support of teacher assistants to give individualized attention to their students and keep things running smoothly. While some teaching assistants (also called teacher aides, instructional aides, paraprofessionals or paraeducators) provide only non-teaching support by monitoring playgrounds or lunchrooms, most work directly with students in class as well.

The responsibilities of most teacher assistants include:

Working with students individually or in small groups
Reinforcing teachers' lesson plans through practice and review
Grading papers and recording grades
Working with students on computers using educational software
Preparing homework and instructional materials
Assisting students with disabilities or other special needs
Setting up and maintaining equipment
Creating instructional displays or exhibits
Supervising students in hallways, cafeterias, outdoors and on field trips
Keeping records of attendance and health
Stocking supplies, typing, making copies and other administrative tasks

Most teacher assistants work in primary or secondary schools (public and private), but some work in child care centers and preschools. Almost half of all teaching assistants work part time.

Teacher Assistant Degrees and Teacher Assistant Schools

Some community colleges and vocational schools offer one to two year certificate or associate's degree programs designed for aspiring teacher assistants. These classes are helpful in preparing graduates for employment, or providing further education to current teacher assistants. A high school diploma or equivalent is usually required to enroll in these programs.

Teacher Assistant Classes

Courses for teacher assistants usually include:

childhood development
developing curricula and instructional materials
technology in the classroom
cultural diversity
instruction and communication techniques
academic record keeping
working with children who have disabilities, for whom English is a second language, or other special needs

Courses in additional languages such as Spanish can open up more job opportunities.

Online Teacher Assistant Classes and Programs

Educational programs for teacher assistants or aides are well-suited for online learning. Combining virtual classroom time and independent study, they provide flexible and convenient options for students. These programs typically do not offer internship or job placement opportunities offered by many on-campus programs.

Teacher Assistant Requirements

In many cases, a high school diploma or equivalent is the minimum educational requirement for teacher assistants. A degree or completed coursework can increase employability, as can work experience in child care or education.

To work in Title 1 schools (where most students are from low-income households), teacher assistants are required to have a minimum of two years of college or pass a rigorous assessment.

On-the-job training is common, helping teacher assistants become familiar with school system procedures, policies and curricula.

How to Evaluate Teacher Assistant Schools

Degree programs for teacher assistants or aides should be evaluated for:

Curricula and focus - How much emphasis is placed on instructional techniques, development of curricula and working with students who have special needs? Do courses include forward-thinking instructional techniques and training on in-demand educational technologies?
Accreditation - Has the program been accredited by an academic oversight organization? If offered online, has it also been accredited by the Accreditation Commission of the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC)?
Class structure and amenities - What is the student-teacher ratio in most classes? Does the program offer assistance in finding internships?
Financial aid and expenses - Does the school help students take advantage of financial aid options such as student loans, grants and scholarships?
Graduate success - Over the previous several years, how many students found employment as teacher assistants upon graduation?

Relevant Schools That Respond Quickly to Info Requests Through This Site

School names link to detailed profiles. Use the Info from the School link to contact the school directly for more information. You may request information from as many schools as you like.

School	Campuses	Awards	Info
Ashworth College	Online	Diploma	Info From School
ICS Canada	Online	Diploma	Info From School
Penn Foster Career School	Online	Diploma	Info From School
Stratford Career Institute	Online	Diploma	Info From School

Listed below are some of the careers in the US with the most job openings and/or fastest growth, according to US government statistics and BrainTrack's own analysis. BrainTrack's profiles for these careers overview responsibilities, degrees, areas of study, career requirements, online study options, and how to evaluate relevant schools. Each profile also lists relevant US schools including those in each state.

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