A paraprofessional is someone who works alongside or assists a professional but does not share the professional’s licensing or credentials. Jobs in the fields of education, law, healthcare, and engineering are examples of paraprofessional positions. Paramedics, who are not doctors but can provide emergency medical care, and paralegals, who are not lawyers but can assist lawyers in legal matters, are two well-known examples.
Teacher assistants are paraprofessionals in the field of education. They help students with assignments and grade papers. Paraprofessionals are not usually in charge of lesson planning or teaching students, but they can assist students in putting what they’ve learned into practice or reinforcing the teacher’s instructions.
Assisting struggling students who need help understanding concepts or learning skills introduced their teacher is one of the job descriptions for paraprofessionals in the education field. School paraprofessionals may work in self-contained classrooms with special education services for all students. They can also work in inclusive classrooms, which include students of various levels, as well as students with disabilities and those who are not.
School paraprofessionals may also assist students with physical disabilities in boarding and disembarking from school buses. They frequently serve as cafeteria or playground monitors in addition to working in classrooms. Paraprofessionals may also assist in the completion of clerical tasks for a school’s department. A paraprofessional might, for example, make copies or organize student files for the special education department.
Computer lab paraprofessionals and resource center paraprofessionals are two other paraprofessional jobs in the education field. Computer lab paraprofessionals keep the computer lab in order and update the software. Teacher resource rooms are maintained resource center paraprofessionals who catalog books and maintain office equipment.
Doctors’ professional assistants can be healthcare paraprofessionals. They can focus on mental health, long-term care, or in-home care. Assistants control equipment in medical facilities, handle records, and assist surgeons during surgeries in these paraprofessional jobs. Dental hygienists are a type of healthcare paraprofessional who works in the dental field. Administrative tasks performed healthcare paraprofessionals include recording patient vital statistics, maintaining medical records, and maintaining office reports.
As veterinarian technicians, paraprofessionals assist veterinarians in the field of animal medicine. Felines, equines, and exotic animals are among the specialties of these paraprofessionals. They could also work in animal-related industries, such as the pet food industry.