Skip navigation

Teacher Assistants

Also called: Teacher Assistant, Paraprofessional, Instructional Assistant, Special Education Teaching Assistant

What they do:
Perform duties that are instructional in nature or deliver direct services to students or parents. Serve in a position for which a teacher has ultimate responsibility for the design and implementation of educational programs and services.
On the job, you would:
  • Provide extra assistance to students with special needs, such as non-English-speaking students or those with physical and mental disabilities.
  • Supervise students in classrooms, halls, cafeterias, school yards, and gymnasiums, or on field trips.
  • Tutor and assist children individually or in small groups to help them master assignments and to reinforce learning concepts presented by teachers.

Knowledge

Education and Training
  • teaching and course design
Arts and Humanities
  • English language
Math and Science
  • psychology
Business
  • customer service

Skills

Basic Skills
  • listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions
  • talking to others
Social
  • understanding people's reactions
  • looking for ways to help people

Abilities

Verbal
  • communicate by speaking
  • listen and understand what people say
Ideas and Logic
  • notice when problems happen
  • group things in different ways

Personality

People interested in this work like activities that include
helping people, teaching, and talking.
They do well at jobs that need:
  • Dependability
  • Concern for Others
  • Integrity
  • Self Control
  • Social Orientation
  • Stress Tolerance

Technology

You might use software like this on the job:

Computer based training software
  • Children's educational software
  • Text to speech software
Device drivers or system software
  • Screen magnification software
  • Screen reader software
Data base user interface and query software
  • Data entry software
  • Student information systems SIS

Education

Education: (rated 3 of 5)
some college or
bachelor's degree
usually needed

Get started on your career:

Find Training Registered Apprenticeship

Job Outlook

Bright Outlook
New job opportunities are very likely in the future.
Salary
$23,580
per year, on average
Check out my state Local Salary Info Find Jobs

Explore More

See more details at O*NET OnLine about teacher assistants.