How to Become a Teacher Assistant

Working as a teacher assistant requires managing a variety of responsibilities that help the classroom run smoothly and efficiently each day. You must create lesson plans with the teacher and assist in creating the classroom schedule. You take attendance and report any absences to the office. You also remain in constant communication with the parents or guardians of the students and report any behavioral issues. The role requires determining the appropriate disciplinary action if students are disruptive or break the rules. You also spend a lot of time setting up the class, organizing the materials, and maintaining a tidy environment.

As a teacher assistant, you're responsible for enforcing the rules and guidelines that are set in the classroom. You monitor the activities of the students as they spend time working in groups. You spend time helping students improve in specific areas where they may be struggling or failing with their academic performance. You must also have the ability to recognize any areas of concern with the students. In this role, it's important to earn the trust of the students and have strong communication skills. It's also important to find new ways of teaching the material and have a firm but friendly personality. Your assistance to the teacher will contribute to the tone of the setting and should encourage a welcoming environment where students are excited to learn. When field trips or outings take place, you are present to assist in helping to supervise the students.

Teacher assistants use a lot of office equipment, including dry erase markers and boards, pencils and pens, and books and papers. You also spend a significant amount of time on a computer during the week creating lesson plans and inputting grades. You will use printers and copiers, as well as textbooks and workbooks, daily.

Teacher assistants spend most of their time in a classroom setting. The classroom is where you teach different lesson plans and review various subjects. This requires working indoors throughout the school year. You also spend time outside of the classroom monitoring the students during recess. As a teacher assistant, there are times you attend outings and field trips with the students. You also spend time in common areas of a school collaborating with colleagues.

Working as a teacher assistant requires spending a lot of time in a team environment and rarely requires working alone. The main colleague you spend most of your time with is the teacher. You spend time assisting the teacher in the classroom while helping instruct the students and providing them with additional information. You also work one-on-one with the teacher to create lesson plans, grade homework or exams, and create the classroom schedule.

In this role, you also spend time with the principal when discussing your responsibilities and meeting to talk about your performance reviews. You report directly to the teacher or principal when you have questions or general concerns. You also work with support staff, including janitors, secretaries, and office assistants.

As a teacher assistant, you work 40-hour work weeks. You work hours depend on the hours of operation of the school, as well as the amount of work that you need to complete outside of the classroom. Expect to work at home when you grade papers or exams, respond to emails, and communicate with the students' parents. Typically, however, you will not receive overtime pay in this role. Some teacher assistants have part-time roles and are only present for a few hours each day at the school or on specific days of the week.

A teacher is responsible for teaching the class, supervising the students, and creating the lesson plans. A teacher assistant helps with large classrooms and completes tasks that the teacher needs assistance with to maintain a fruitful learning environment.

There aren't any specific certifications or qualifications necessary for working as a teacher assistant. However, you need at least a high school diploma. In certain positions, you will need an associate or bachelor's degree in education or another field.

Applying for a job as a teacher assistant is easy with Spherion. You can search for teacher assistant jobs on Spherion.com by job title and location. If you don't see the perfect role, you can submit an open application. Once you submit your contact information and resume through Spherion's open application, a recruiter from the office closest to you with details about potential teacher assistant roles that fit your skill set and professional goals.