Teacher assistants provide invaluable support to classroom teachers who would otherwise shoulder heavy clerical and educational burdens on their own. Assistants hail from all walks of life. Some are people preparing for a teaching career, working part-time in the classrooms of elementary and secondary schools while they attend a college training program. Or, they may be retired professionals who have a commitment to the educational welfare of the young.
On the job, about half of employed teacher assistants work part time, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). They may prepare lessons, administer tests or projects in arts and science, grade papers, keep records and supplies, supervise schoolyard play, and help teachers with tutoring or remedial assignments.
Teacher assistants take jobs in public and private schools, pre-schools, preschools, summer camps, child care centers, churches and synagogues, and community centers. Some only work the nine-month public school calendar; others work at summer schools.
While educational and certification requirements vary from state to state, most school districts demand a two-year degree for all teacher assistant candidates to match federal requirements for low-income student funding. Community colleges and private trade schools offer certification and associates degree training programs tailored for teacher assistants.
The BLS reports that 1.3 million teacher assistants held jobs in 2004, most of them in pre-schools and at the elementary-school level. Assistants who have a second language or have taken formal training to work with special education or disabled students will be in especially high demand.
