Someone who provides support to a teacher in with class activities are teacher’s aide. This position is seen as an internship as the ones that typically take this job are looking for a career in teaching. They help by providing individual students more attention and monitoring when necessary. The setting of the position can vary because it changes based on the education level and subject the assistant is qualified to teach. Naturally, the basics of the setting will always consist of a certified teacher and a number of students attending the class. Moveover, the qualifications that are required to obtain this position varies from each state, but overall there are general guidelines from all applications.
Also known as a teacher’s aide, an education assistant, instructional aides, paraprofessionals, and paraeducators, according to truity.com, they are “an individual who assists a teacher with instructional responsibilities” (Wikipedia). The higher level of education they have received can impact the tasks they are able to perform and the amount of money they can receive. People applying for the position can have a level of education as simple as a high school diploma but the usual education level for applicants is college and they usually are undergraduates or graduates. If the assistant is an undergraduate, their tasks consist of taking role, grading papers, such as their homework of tests, and assisting students with their work. If the assistant is a graduate student, they may be able to teach a part of a lesson to the whole class, or work with a group or in a one-on-one situation (Wikipedia).
Teacher assistants work under a certified teacher’s rules and their task consists of implementing them to the students. Typical duties of a teacher’s assistant, according to truity.com consist of: Going over lessons that the teacher presented with students that may not understand it, enforcing school and class rules to help teach students proper behavior, helping teachers by tracking attendance, calculating grades, preparing for lessons, getting materials ready or setting up equipment, and helping supervise students in class and in between classes (Truity.com)
Typically, teacher assistants have attended some college courses or completed a college degree. Those who are still attending should have completed at least two years of college, which means achieving their Associate’s degree, are considered undergraduates. Those who already have the degree and are going to school for their bachelor's are called graduates. In order to even be considered for the position by a school district, there are steps that need to be taken.
Obviously, the first step is to earn an associate degree in the field of education, assistant teaching or something else similar to that. The degree can be completed at a 4-year university as a path to a bachelor’s degree to continue school to become a certified teacher, or you can choose to take it at a 2-year community college. The majority of California community colleges offer a degree in programs relating to education, such as childhood development (Study.com)
If choosing to complete a program, such as Childhood Development, at a 2-year college, like De Anza, it can be completed with a Certificate of Achievement, Certificate of Achievement-Advanced, or an Associate Degree in Arts(A.A). According to the De Anza website, a Certificate of Achievement means that the student “meets entry-level professional requirements for teachers in early childhood programs and fulfills requirements to qualify as a teacher in a center licensed by the California Department of Social Services” (De Anza). A certificate of achievement-Advanced means that “Students learned to integrate developmentally appropriate practices and apply them to curriculum design for teaching young children. They also learn how to build culturally responsive partnerships with children and families. The Certificate of Achievement-Advanced is designed to meet the Child Development course requirements for a Child Development Teacher Permit” (De Anza). An A.A Degree in the program indicates that the student is prepared for “entry-level careers or entrance into a Bachelor's degree program in Child Development Studies” (De Anza).
If choosing to complete a Bachelor’s Degree in a topic such as childhood development, the first step is to complete an A.A degree, either at a community college or at a 4 year, then complete the bachelors by taking classes such as “infant development, toddler development, family dynamics, health and safety, children's nutrition, early childhood education subjects and children's literature”, according to learn.org.
Step number two is to pass the necessary tests, which in California is the California Basic Educational Skills Test or CBEST. According to teachers test prep.com, the test is broken down into 3 subtests consisting of reading, writing and mathematics. Both the reading and mathematics part consists of 50 multiple choice questions and the writing portion consists of 2 essays.
The math test has problems that include: “estimation, measurement, and statistical principles; computation and problem solving; and numerical and graphic relationships”. The reading portion of the exam “demands application of reading abilities from two major skill areas: critical analysis and evaluation, and comprehension and research skills.” For the writing part, the test taker will have to write 2 essays, one about a specific personal experience and the other one is an analyze of a situation or statement. They get 4 hours to complete 1, 2 or all 3 of the subtests. This website has a list of all the testing centers all over California as well as info on how to register for it and study guides. There is a registration fee that is required that varies on the way the exam is taken. When completing on paper, the fee is $41, which is the general test fee. The test is offered all year-long and are typically taken on the computer or paper. However, the paper exams are harder to come by because they are only offered on specified dates, so you would have to plan it around that date unlike the electronic versions. The fee for the computer based is $41 plus an additional $61 for the service of the computer (TeachersTestPrep.com).
On the official CBEST website, they detail the process of registering for test and the registration for computer-based test is easier than the paper version (and its probably like that that on purpose to suck money out of you), but the general process is the same. You make an account then; choose a test program; “1. select your test, subtest(s), or test section(s), 2. acknowledge your intention to register for alternative testing arrangements (if applicable), 3. designate institutions to receive the test results (Note: Only institutions designated during registration will automatically receive the test results.); 4. choose to have test results emailed to you, 5. answer background questions, 6. review and agree to testing rules, 7. submit payment using a credit, debit, or check card” (CBEST.org). For the computer-based test, the 8th step is to schedule the appointment wherever the test taker chooses and then they are all set and registered. For the paper test, an email will get sent saying that a registration has been submitted. Wait for 1 business day and another email will be sent that says, “registration confirmation”. From there they assign a test center as the paper tests are not as accessible as the computers and get set to receive another email with the admission ticket. That has to be printed out and brought to the center. It’s recommended that an extra one is printed out for the test taker’s records. The only thing that the CBEST website doesn’t specify is all of the little fees that are charged for different tasks.
The third step that needs to be taken in order to work with kids in a school is to be screened. The California Department of Justice and FBI have to verify that it’s okay for you to work around kids and it requires you to be fingerprinted. Depending on the school district, you might have to get screened for tuberculosis as well as undergo various vaccinations (Study.com).
Typical duties of a teacher’s aide who’s an undergraduate, cMost of the time, however, is spent observing the environment of the classroom and monitoring the students, making sure that everything is okay.
Obtaining this position is the first step into becoming a certified teacher. When performing the tasks of this job, you are enriching the minds of the future generation. The way you approach them and the way you teach them can affect them for life considering that they are students for the first 20+ years of their lives. You have the power to influence their minds and encourage them to make a difference in the world. Not only will the kids gain knowledge, but so will you because the lessons that you learn about how to teach and the way kids act during this experience will benefit you. You can apply those lessons into your teaching curriculum, if you so decide to become one, use it when raising children of your own or even applying for other jobs that require you to answer questions that ask you
Being a teacher’s aide has its ups and downs, but the positives definitely weigh out the negatives. The reason that this job is pleasant to work at is that you get to help the future generation learn and grow and if you enjoy helping people out and watching them succeed in life and the classroom, becoming a teacher’s aide is the job for you.