Teacher Aide Job Description: Top Duties and Qualifications

A Teacher Aide, or Teaching Assistant, helps Teachers with the management, supervision and education of students in a classroom. Their duties include preparing the classroom for lessons, helping and guiding children during classroom activities. They consult with Teachers to identify problem areas that students have.

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Teacher Aide duties and responsibilities

A Teacher Aide must use a combination of creativity and ingenuity to create activities that are fun and educational for their students. Their responsibilities change depending on the school and tend to include:

Helping Teachers in any necessary way
Supervising and managing classroom behaviour
Recording and reporting student progress to a Teacher
Following school procedures to ensure a safe classroom
Attending Teacher meetings, training sessions and parent-teacher conferences
Caring for students that are upset or unwell
Cleaning and organising a classroom

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What does a Teacher Aide do?

A Teacher Aide works directly under a Teacher in a classroom, helping them to implement and even create instructional concepts. They must be prepared to give specialised instruction to students who are struggling in class. They work one on one with students while the Teacher continues with a general lesson. Some Teacher Aides assist only one classroom. Others move between multiple classrooms and assist various Teachers when necessary.

Teacher Aide skills and qualifications

Teacher Aides must have strong interpersonal skills to work with students, Teachers and parents. Other beneficial skills include:

The ability to teach pupils how to complete an assignment
Active listening skills
A positive and empathetic attitude
Patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
The ability to build relationships based on trust and understanding
Familiarity with how to create the best learning conditions for students
Flexibility and openness to change

Teacher Aide experience requirements

For many schools, this is an entry-level position that doesn’t require many years of previous experience. However, all candidates should be able to prove that they can work well with children. Qualifications in nursery or experience in community organisations are prerequisites. Some Teacher Aides have an area they specialise in such as language or special needs. All applicants must be highly organised and dedicated to providing a safe learning environment for children.

Teacher Aide education and training requirements

Each school sets its own entry requirements for their Teacher Aides. Some employers feel comfortable hiring applicants without a diploma. Such need to have GCSEs grades 9 to 4 in English and maths and can prove they work well with kids. Most schools require candidates to have college qualifications like a Level 2 or 3 Certificate in Supporting Teaching and Learning in Schools. This includes a Level 3 Diploma in Childcare and Education. Extremely qualified candidates have advanced apprenticeships as a Teaching Assistant.

All candidates must pass an enhanced background check.

Teacher Aide salary expectations

According to Indeed Salaries, the average salary for a Teacher Aide is £21,443 per year in the United Kingdom. For most schools, salary is dependent on experience and location of the school.

Job description samples for similar positions

If Teacher Aide is not quite the job you are looking to advertise for, here are other job description samples that may fit your needs:

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Teacher Aide job description FAQs

Do Teacher Aides have different responsibilities in different industries?

Teacher Aides are almost always employed by an educational organisation. Their core responsibility of creating a safe and educational place for students remains the same no matter where they are employed. However, the type of school they are employed in does alter their responsibilities and daily activities. A Teacher Aide in a secondary school must be familiar with the problems that arise when teaching young adults. A Teacher Aide employed in a special-needs school must know how to deal with students who have learning disabilities.

Who does a Teacher Aide report to?

A Teacher Aide works under the supervision of one or more Teachers. Many of them are responsible for reporting to a student’s parents during parent-teacher conferences. Occasionally, if there is a serious problem with a student or perhaps the Teacher they are working with, a Teacher Aide may have to report to the Headmaster of the school. Teacher Aides, however, are not registered Teachers themselves.

How can you make your Teacher Aide job description stand out?

Focus on what makes your school a unique and rewarding place to work. Tell your candidates about how welcome they are to apply.

Highlight which opportunities you provide for employees to develop their skills and any chances for career growth. Many Teacher Aides are currently working towards a career as a Teacher, so be sure to highlight any options that may lead to a Teacher position. Mention competitive elements such as salary, pension, holiday-time off and usable benefits that set your school apart.