Inside and outside of the classroom, a paraprofessional teacher assists and supports a teacher. Teachers’ aides, or teaching assistants, perform a variety of tasks depending on the setting and the relationship they have with the teachers they assist. The educational requirements for a position as a paraprofessional teacher differ region. They may need to have their own teaching certifications in some cases, while an associate’s degree in education or a related field may suffice in others.
A paraprofessional teacher can assist with discipline, provide one-on-one assistance to struggling students, pass out and collect classroom materials, and supervise students who require extra help in the classroom. This can include disabled students who may require personal aides, as well as students who are struggling with assignments or who have a history of misbehavior. The paraprofessional teacher may also assist the teacher with audiovisual equipment.
When classes are not in session, paraprofessional teachers can assist with lesson planning and materials preparation, such as copying class materials, assisting with field trips, and other activities. They can collect and grade homework and other course materials, meet with the teacher and other aides who may work in the classroom to discuss curricula and students of special concern, and help teachers apply for grants, among other administrative and support tasks.
Paraprofessional teachers can accompany classes on field trips and help with activities such as creating individualized education plans (IEPs) for disabled students who require extra attention in the classroom. Working with parents to discuss student needs, as well as discussing disability issues with a school’s disability services coordinator and other staff members, may be part of this. A paraprofessional teacher may be retained as an aide who works directly with one student in some cases, in which case a classroom may have multiple aides present at any given time to meet the needs of the entire class.
These education professionals, like fully credentialed teachers, must be comfortable working with children in a variety of settings. Many colleges provide training programs for people interested in working in the educational field, including paraprofessional teacher certification programs. It is a good idea to compare the contents of a program to the requirements for classroom practice to ensure that the training provided the program meets these requirements. People may also want to take additional classes in topics such as disability services and first aid in order to be more adaptable and useful in the classroom.