Qualifications for Teacher Aides

If you love kids and want to work in a school setting, becoming a teacher aide may be a good fit for you. Teacher aides, also called assistants or paraprofessionals, work a set schedule, get weekends and holidays off, and often are eligible to receive benefits. And with employment opportunities in the field expected to grow by 10 percent, aides should have no difficulty finding a position among the 1.3 million paraprofessionals working across the country.

Functions

Teacher aides support educators in the classroom by providing instructional and clerical assistance. As an aide you may help children by reviewing lessons or helping with research. Aides can also grade papers, take attendance, review homework or do other tasks that will allow the teacher to focus on instruction. Additionally, aides may supervise students during lunch, recess, field trips or assemblies.

Types

Teacher aides may perform job functions in one of several settings. You may work with elementary school students or in high school. Teachers aides are also needed to help students with disabilities. Often, a teacher aide is assigned to assist one particular student rather than an entire class, especially if the student is disabled. As the aide of a disabled student, you may be required to perform personal hygiene care or other non-instructional duties.

Qualifications

Teacher aide qualification requirements have changed dramatically since the No Child Left Behind Act was passed in 2001. If you plan to work in a Title 1 school you must now hold an associate's degree or have completed two years of postsecondary education. You could also pass a competency test in lieu of obtaining the educational requirements. Competency tests check for math skills and understanding in reading and writing. In addition to educational requirements, individual school systems may require aides to hold a valid driver's license, take a drug test, have fingerprints on record and submit to a background check.

Considerations

Low salary expectations should be a consideration for anyone desiring a teacher aide position. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, teacher aides receive a median annual salary of $20,740 making them among the lowest paid educators. As an aide, you may be compensated with an hourly wage and find summer vacations are unpaid leave. Also consider that the costs of competency tests, background checks and fingerprinting are often your responsibility---though you may be reimbursed for some expenses after beginning employment.

Potential

Teacher aides need not be limited to low salaries forever. With two years of college already under your belt, why not go on to complete a degree in education and become a teacher? Even if you don't want to teach, additional courses in education could mean a bump in pay so consider taking summer, night or weekend classes to further your career. Or, with experience gleaned as a teacher aide, further opportunities might be found in another childcare setting such as a daycare or preschool.

References

• Bureau of Labor Statistics
• The Urban Institute