Assistant Teacher Career Description

Teaching young minds is not the sole province of educators and teachers.  A lot of help come from the Assistance Teacher position which has become indispensable in the learning process especially in nursery, primary and secondary education where there’s a lot integration among normal kids and those with special needs, along with special assistance required to keep educators from being distracted in their main functions.

Assistant Teacher Education and Training required

There’s no specific mandated coursework to be an assistant teacher. Some colleges do offer 2-year associate degrees and certificate programs that prepare graduates to land as teacher assistants. But even high school graduates can take on the job which provides on-the-job training as one. The important criterion to become one is a passion to help kids learn.

It helps if you have a degree in child psychology but an exceptional academic performance in high school can be your ticket to land as one. But if you have your sights or large schools, you face federal requirements to have at least a 2 year college course or pass a state licensing. If you speak a second language like Spanish, you can be in great demand.

Assistant Teacher :Getting the Job

Due to high turnovers, with most taking on higher education to become full-fledge teachers or move on to higher paying positions elsewhere, there always some job openings for teacher assistants.  It is estimates that the position demand will grow by 10% annually from 2008 to 1018.

Assistant Teacher Working Conditions

The work often requires your presence in school classrooms where you handle disabled kids and those with those with special learning requirements so as not to disrupt the normal learning processes for normal kids in the classroom.  This is often encountered in pre and grade schools.  The position can bring you to help teachers do administrative work such as checking attendance, prepare exams and record exam results, develop teaching aids and arrange of AV equipment for the class and help in extracurricular work.  Teacher assistants also supervise kids at play outdoors.

Assistant Teacher Salary and Benefits

In 2008, assistant teachers earned a median annual salary of about $22,200. Half of those surveyed earned between $17,600 and $28,000. The highest 10% earned more than $34,000 while the lowest 10% took home less than $15,400.