As a teacher assistant, you will lend your support to pupils and students in their educational, emotional and social development either individually, in groups or as a whole class. You will also partner with one or more teachers to prepare lessons and facilitate activities among students.
Find out how much a teacher assistant salary is, the job responsibilities, and how you can become a teacher assistant.
Table of contents
What does a Teacher Assistant Do?
Part of your responsibilities as a teacher assistant include:
- Assisting the teacher in managing challenging pupil behavior
- Paying attention to the students
- Monitoring and recording students’ progress, and offering teachers thorough and timely feedback
- Carrying out administrative tasks, such as setting up the classroom and cleaning up after class, in order to ensure effective teaching
- Making resources available for usage
- Looking after students who have been in accidents, offering first aid as needed, and those who require help to dress or who are distraught
You can also carry out the following duties if you’re a higher-level teacher assistant.
- Deliver customized instructional activities to students one-on-one or in small groups
- Lead various class activities under the supervision of the teacher
- Take classes on your own to give professors more time to organize and grade assignments
- Supervise other members of the support team
You could also specialize in reading, numeracy, or special education with an advanced level of experience. If you’re multilingual, you could specialize in working with children whose first language is not English.
How Much Does a Teacher Assistant Make?
In the US, a teacher assistant’s salary as of May 2022 ranges from $24, 690 to $34,098. this is according to Indeed.com.
There are a plethora of things that affect salary fluctuation. They are: schooling, certifications, supplementary talents, and the number of years you’ve worked in your field.
Propsect.ac.uk posits that in the UK, starting salary for full-time, permanent teacher assistants fall within £18,300.
You can expect to earn £18,880 to £19,000 with more responsibility as a Level 2 and Level 3 teacher assistant.
Important Skills for a Teacher Assistant
The important skills you must possess to become a teacher assistant include the following.
- Communication skills: You must be able to communicate effectively with teachers and parents about their student’s progress
- Interpersonal skills: teachers, students, parents, and administration are among the people you engage with. So, you must learn to establish positive relationships with those you work with.
- Patience: It might be a herculean task, you working with pupils of varying talents and backgrounds. You must learn to be patient with them.
- Resourcefulness: Teacher assistants must convey knowledge to students in a way that suits each student’s learning style to reinforce teachings.
Job Outlook for Teacher Assistants
Over the next 10 years, employment for teacher assistants is expected to grow at a rate of 9%, which is about average for all occupations.
Many of these opportunities will likely arise because of the need to replace workers who shift to alternative occupations or leave the workforce for other reasons, such as retirement.
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Best-Paying Cities for Teacher Assistants
The table below outlines the cities where you can earn the most as a teacher assistant.
| Santa Cruz, California | $42,110 |
| New Bedford, Massachusetts | $41,780 |
| Seattle, Washington | $41,160 |
| Bridgeport, Connecticut | $41,130 |
| San Jose, California | $41,070 |
Best-Paying States for Teacher Assistants
The table below shows several states in the United States where you also earn quite a reasonable salary if you live in them. It will also help you form your decision where you want to relocate.
| Alaska | $39,720 |
| Washington | $38,650 |
| Massachusetts | $38,210 |
| Maryland | $37,460 |
| California | $37,260 |
Frequently Asked Questions
A teacher assistant is one who lends his/her support to pupils and students in their educational, emotional, and social development either individually, in groups, or as a whole class.
The job responsibilities of a teacher assistant include
. Assisting the teacher in managing challenging pupil behavior
. Paying attention to the students
. Monitoring and recording students’ progress, and offering teachers thorough and timely feedback
. Carrying out administrative tasks, such as setting up the classroom and cleaning up after class, to ensure effective teaching
. Making resources available for usage
As of May 2022, a teacher assistant’s salary in the US ranges from $24,690 to $34,098.
References
- money.usnews.com – Teacher Assistant Salary
- prospects.ac.uk – Teaching assistant
- indeed.com – Teaching assistant salary in United States
- salary.com – Teacher Aide Salary in the United States
- collegegrad.com – Teacher Assistants
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