About Teacher
Aide Schools
Teacher assistants provide instructional and clerical support for
classroom teachers, allowing teachers more time for lesson planning
and teaching. Teacher assistants tutor and assist children in learning
class material using the teacher's lesson plans, providing students
with individualized attention. Teacher assistants also supervise
students in the cafeteria, schoolyard, and hallways, or on field
trips. They record grades, set up equipment, and help prepare materials
for instruction. Teacher assistants also are called teacher aides
or instructional aides.
Some assistants refer to themselves as paraeducators or paraprofessionals.
Some teacher assistants perform exclusively noninstructional or
clerical tasks, such as monitoring nonacademic settings. Playground
and lunchroom attendants are examples of such assistants. Most teacher
assistants, however, perform a combination of instructional and
clerical duties. They generally provide instructional reinforcement
to children, under the direction and guidance of teachers. They
work with students individually or in small groups—listening
while students read, reviewing or reinforcing class lessons, or
helping them find information for reports. At the secondary school
level, teacher assistants often specialize in a certain subject,
such as math or science. Teacher assistants often take charge of
special projects and prepare equipment or exhibits, such as for
a science demonstration. Some assistants work in computer laboratories,
helping students using computers and educational software programs.
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