Teacher Assistants

Description

Perform duties that are instructional in nature or deliver direct services to students or parents. Serve in a position for which a teacher has ultimate responsibility for the design and implementation of educational programs and services.

Tasks

Provide extra assistance to students with special needs, such as non-English-speaking students or those with physical and mental disabilities.
Supervise students in classrooms, halls, cafeterias, school yards, and gymnasiums, or on field trips.
Tutor and assist children individually or in small groups to help them master assignments and to reinforce learning concepts presented by teachers.
Enforce administration policies and rules governing students.
Discuss assigned duties with classroom teachers to coordinate instructional efforts.
Instruct and monitor students in the use and care of equipment and materials to prevent injuries and damage.
Observe students' performance, and record relevant data to assess progress.
Present subject matter to students under the direction and guidance of teachers, using lectures, discussions, or supervised role-playing methods.
Prepare lesson materials, bulletin board displays, exhibits, equipment, and demonstrations.
Organize and supervise games and other recreational activities to promote physical, mental, and social development.
Distribute teaching materials such as textbooks, workbooks, papers, and pencils to students.
Organize and label materials and display students' work in a manner appropriate for their eye levels and perceptual skills.
Use computers, audio-visual aids, and other equipment and materials to supplement presentations.
Attend staff meetings and serve on committees, as required.
Type, file, and duplicate materials.
Laminate teaching materials to increase their durability under repeated use.
Provide disabled students with assistive devices, supportive technology, and assistance accessing facilities such as restrooms.
Carry out therapeutic regimens such as behavior modification and personal development programs, under the supervision of special education instructors, psychologists, or speech-language pathologists.
Assist in bus loading and unloading.
Maintain computers in classrooms and laboratories and assist students with hardware and software use.
Distribute tests and homework assignments and collect them when they are completed.
Grade homework and tests, and compute and record results, using answer sheets or electronic marking devices.
Take class attendance and maintain attendance records.
Prepare lesson outlines and plans in assigned subject areas and submit outlines to teachers for review.
Participate in teacher-parent conferences regarding students' progress or problems.
Conduct demonstrations to teach such skills as sports, dancing, and handicrafts.
Plan, prepare, and develop various teaching aids such as bibliographies, charts, and graphs.
Requisition and stock teaching materials and supplies.
Operate and maintain audio-visual equipment.
Collect money from students for school-related projects.
Assist librarians in school libraries.
Monitor classroom viewing of live or recorded courses transmitted by communication satellites.

Knowledge

Education and Training: Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
English Language: Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Psychology: Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
Customer and Personal Service: Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Computers and Electronics: Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
Mathematics: Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

Skills

Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Learning Strategies: Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people.
Instructing: Teaching others how to do something.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Abilities

Oral Comprehension: The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Oral Expression: The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Speech Recognition: The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
Speech Clarity: The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
Problem Sensitivity: The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
Near Vision: The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).

Work Activities

Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships: Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work: Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
Assisting and Caring for Others: Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates: Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge: Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
Getting Information: Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Thinking Creatively: Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.

Work Context

Contact With Others: How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?
Face-to-Face Discussions: How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?
Work With Work Group or Team: How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job?
Indoors, Environmentally Controlled: How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions?
Electronic Mail: How often do you use electronic mail in this job?
Physical Proximity: To what extent does this job require the worker to perform job tasks in close physical proximity to other people?
Coordinate or Lead Others: How important is it to coordinate or lead others in accomplishing work activities in this job?
Frequency of Decision Making: How frequently is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization?
Public Speaking: How often do you have to perform public speaking in this job?
Frequency of Conflict Situations: How often are there conflict situations the employee has to face in this job?

Interests

Social: Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
Conventional: Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
Artistic: Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.
Enterprising: Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
Investigative: Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
Realistic: Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.

Work Style

Dependability: Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Integrity: Job requires being honest and ethical.
Concern for Others: Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
Self Control: Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
Social Orientation: Job requires preferring to work with others rather than alone, and being personally connected with others on the job.
Stress Tolerance: Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.
Adaptability/Flexibility: Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
Cooperation: Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Attention to Detail: Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Initiative: Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.

Work Values

Relationships: Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
Support: Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
Achievement: Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
Working Conditions: Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
Independence: Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
Recognition: Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.

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National Wages and Employment Info

Median Wages (2008):: $0.0 hourly, $23,640 annual.

Employment (2008):: 1,185,700 employees