A teacher aide is responsible for helping a teacher to better provide students with a well-rounded education that can help children grasp various concepts and ideas.
Generally speaking, a teacher aide does many things that can make it easier for the licensed and educated teacher to spend more time with the children, educating them.
If a career as a teaching assistant intrigues you, here are a few of a teacher aide’s responsibilities.
Grading Assignments
One of the most important things that teacher aides do is to help grade students’ work.
Though schoolwork is important, as are tests, quizzes, and a number of other assignments, grading them can be slow work, and can force a teacher to spend time on that task that would be better spent on teaching students about other things.
However, a teacher aide can help by grading the tests, quizzes, or other assignments.
Most teachers use rubrics or ‘grading sheets’ when they create tests, which means that even if the aide is not necessarily as knowledgeable as the teacher, they will still be able to grade the test and figure out whether a question’s answer is right or wrong.
Answering Questions
A teacher aide can help the teacher by answering questions that students may have, especially when it comes to questions about homework or how to do something during class.
Questions in class, especially excessive questions in class, can slow the class down or grind it to a halt. However, with the help of an assistant, a teacher can continue with class and let their second-in-command help the student to better understand the assignment or help to better explain a concept that the student may be struggling with.
Anything that helps the teacher to keep their attention on teaching the group is preferable.
Furthermore, having someone who can help students that are having trouble allows them to not feel as embarrassed. Many students have reported feeling embarrassed when they had to ask questions and slow the pace of the class. Having someone available who can help without hampering the class can make children more likely to ask questions.
Supervising Students
Sometimes, students do things that do not require a teacher to be present. For example, taking a test does not always require that a teacher be in the room; a teacher aide can just as easily watch the students and ensure that no one is cheating and that everyone understands the questions.
In schools that still have playgrounds and recess, two sets of eyes are often better than one. The extra eyes also allow the teacher to keep their attention focused on making sure students are playing peacefully, while the aide can attend to any issues.
Are You Interested In Becoming a Teacher Aide?
Teaching is a noble endeavor, as is assisting a teacher. If you’re looking for a job that will have meaning to it, then a career as a teacher aide may be what you’re looking for.
Take the steps towards becoming a teacher aide! At Stratford Career Institute, we offer an online teacher aide course.