Role of Teacher Assistants
A teacher assistant may refer to a public school primary or a secondary position in which you aid the classroom teacher. A teacher assistant may also refer to a graduate teaching assistant position in which you assist a post-secondary faculty member at a university or college. Working as a teacher assistant can be a rewarding career in itself or provide those thinking about going into the teaching field with valuable insights and experience to assist them in making a decision about becoming a teacher or professor.
Characteristics
Whether working with primary, secondary or post-secondary teachers and faculty, several characteristics help to ensure success. Successful teacher assistants have an interest in students and teaching. Additionally, they should exhibit good communication skills, creativity, cooperation and an ability to motivate students. Job outlooks for all types of positions remain excellent as enrollment growth and staffing shortages are expected to continue.
Primary/Secondary
Teacher assistants at the primary and secondary levels work both directly with students and in support of the teacher. Teacher assistants often work with students to tutor or reinforce lessons, particularly with students not on grade level. They may also be in a position to provide clerical or assistance in the form of preparing materials, entering data, stocking supplies or making copies. Teacher assistants also often work with students with disabilities, seeing to their physical, emotional and educational extra needs. The requirements of a teacher assistant at this level vary from just a high school diploma to at least an associate's degree.
Required Duties
The position of teacher assistant in elementary and secondary schools often requires a great deal of patience, empathy and energy. Many times teacher assistants' duties include calming or refocusing a student having difficulty so that the teacher may continue with the rest of the class. Additionally, the role of teacher assistant may often take the teaching assistant outdoors, since often the assistant travels with the students to assist in other areas. He may also be required to participate in duty stations outdoors. The physical requirements of the position vary with the age of the students and the role of the assistant. Generally, younger children may require a greater physical role due to their young age and ability levels.
Graduate Assistant
Another type of teacher assistant, the graduate teacher assistant, assists faculty at colleges and universities while working on her own graduate degree, having already completed a four-year degree. She may work directly with students in an instructing position or may assist the faculty member, a professor or instructor by providing support in the form of grading, monitoring or tutoring undergraduate students. Some professors hand the entire responsibility for a lower-level course over to the teacher assistant, who then does all the preparation, lectures and grading herself.
Required Knowledge
Like college professors, graduate teacher assistants may have more flexibility in their schedules than elementary or secondary teacher assistants. However, graduate teacher assistants require a great deal of commitment, motivation and organization since they work on their own graduate degrees, as well. Graduate teacher assistants should also have analytical skills, in-depth knowledge in the course they teach or assist in and the ability to handle a great deal of stress. The knowledge gained in this position provides invaluable experience to graduate teachers intending to gain college faculty positions themselves.
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