Teacher Aide Careers: In-Depth Guide

What Does a Teacher Aide Do?

Teacher aides are responsible for supporting lead teachers so that they may be freed up to focus on teaching and planning lessons. They may also be called instructional aides, paraprofessionals, or para-educators. As a teacher aide, your days could really vary depending on the age and ability of the students. At a grade school or secondary school, you might be asked to:

• Give students attention individually or in groups to help them learn from the lead teacher's lessons
• Perform clerical and administrative tasks like making copies, typing, filing, recording grades, and entering data
• Assist students with special projects like computer skills, researching for reports, and science demonstrations
• Check and grade homework and keep attendance records
• Watch over students at recess, in the hallways, in the lunchroom, and on field trips

If you work with students with disabilities, some of your day may also be spent feeding, teaching self-care, and helping students on and off the bus. Teacher aides may assist students that speak English as a second language, have remedial academic skills, and/or need help finding work or community services after schooling.

Teacher aides also play an important role working with very young children in a daycare setting or preschool where low student to teacher ratios are ideal. Here you might help prepare snacks, supervise play, help students dress for recess, and support the lead teacher with educational instruction.

Working closely with students to help them grow and be successful can be extremely gratifying. Most teacher aides work Monday through Friday during the school year, which leaves them with weekends and summers off.While the hours may be attractive, the work can be emotionally and physically demanding as you give students one-on-one attention or help students with physical disabilities through the course of their day.

Formal Training Required to Become a Teacher Aide

As a teacher aide, you're going to need basic knowledge of computers and classroom audio-visual equipment, good writing and communication skills, and an ability to work with students from various cultures with patience and fairness. Previous experience working with children, a valid driver's license, and a background check are usually required as well.

The formal training require to become a teacher aide varies by state. A high school diploma and some on-the-job training is usually all you need, but there are more employment opportunities if you have at least two years of college, speak a foreign language (especially Spanish), or have experience with special needs students. It's also true that Title 1 schools (with a high proportion of low-income students) are federally mandated to hire aids with two or more years of college or those who have passed a difficult state exam.

Check with your state about special requirements. For example, New York needs its teacher aides to complete a Child Abuse Identification and School Violence Prevention and Intervention workshop.

If you decide you want to go to school, look for a teacher aid certification or two-year associate's degree teacher aid programs. Bachelor's and master's degrees in education are generally for those interested in becoming lead teachers or transitioning from teacher aide to lead teacher. Teacher aid degree and certification programs may teach:

• Classroom management
• Child development
• Educational psychology
• Safety and health
• Instructional methods

The Typical Career Path of a Teacher Aide

People who love working with children often become teacher aides. The flexible hours--40 percent of teacher aides work part-time--often appeals to parents and others who want to limit their work hours. Some people may use teacher aide positions to find out if they want to pursue a career as a lead teacher. With more education, you can transition to other roles in education. Or you may simply earn more responsibility and more pay as your experience as a teacher aide grows.

Most teacher aides work in private and public pre-schools, grade schools, and secondary schools with a smaller number employed in religious organizations and child-care settings.

Job Outlook and Salary Information for Teacher Aides

The outlook for teacher aide jobs should be favorable, with employment growing at the modest rate of 10 percent through 2018, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. More jobs should be available working with students with disabilities, special needs, and English as a second language, as legislation increasingly mandates that these students receive equal education.

The median annual wage for teacher aides was $22,820 in May 2009, with full-time positions usually receiving health care benefits. Salaries vary according to location and whether the school is private or public.