The Complete Guide

Teacher’s Aide

Saving time and money on your Teaching Aide certification
December 18, 2024

Why We Love Teacher’s Aide

$24,680-$28,520
Estimated Salary
Certification Online
Education Needed
No Prior Experience
Experience

What if you could have a rewarding career helping to shape a young child’s life?

And what if instead of going to college for 4+ years, you could potentially start this exciting career in 6 months?

Teacher’s aides play an important role in the day to day activities of classrooms all around the country.

By lending their support and efforts to the primary teacher in both instructional and clerical tasks, teacher’s aides help to ensure students get the knowledge and guidance they need to learn and thrive.

If you’ve always had a fondness for children and love the idea of being an instrumental person in their young lives, then keep reading to find out what a career as a teacher’s aide offers!

Chapter 1:

What Do Teacher’s Aides Do?

Teacher’s aides, sometimes called teacher’s assistants, perform a variety of tasks each day to help children succeed in the classroom.

Some of their responsibilities include:

  • Taking attendance
  • Collecting homework
  • Recording grades
  • Prepare materials for lessons
  • Enforce classroom rules (hall and cafeteria monitoring)
  • Help teachers create lesson plans and classroom policies
  • Help modify lessons for special education students

So let’s say you are a teacher’s aide in a primary school. In the mornings, before the students arrive, you may set up materials for the first lesson of the day.

This could be setting up the arts and crafts area, as an example, and making sure each table has glue, markers, and construction paper.

Later in the day, you may work one-on-one with any students who are having a hard time with their afternoon math assignments.

When the kids have gone home for the day, you would stay and help the teacher plan the following day’s lesson as well as tidy up and get the classroom ready for the following day.

Teacher’s aides are clearly an important part of the education system, and there is no wonder why demand for these specialists is booming!

Chapter 2:

5 Reasons to Become a Teacher’s Aide

Here are top 5 reasons you should consider a career as a Teacher’s Aide:

1. No Prior Experience is Needed

You don’t need any prior experience or degree to begin your certification program – you could start towards a career in just 6 months.

 

2. You’re Helping Kids Thrive

Primary teachers simply don’t have enough time or mental bandwidth to give to each individual student for long periods of time. You get a tremendous feeling of satisfaction each day knowing you are stepping in and helping children learn and become their best selves.

 

3. Witnessing Countless A-Ha! Moments

There’s nothing like teaching a concept to a young child and seeing them struggle with it for a while. You try a different way of explaining it and suddenly, the lightbulb goes off. Such an amazing feeling to see all of those A-ha moments.

 

4. Every Day is Different

If you’re someone who requires variety in your job, then a career as a teacher’s aide might be the perfect fit. No two days are ever alike and you will never be bored. Plus, each year a fresh new crop of children comes through the door, so you always have new kids to get to know and help!

 

5. It Fits Around Family Life

One of the best perks of being a teacher’s aide is that you get to work during school hours. This means if you have a family of your own, you can easily fit your job around your own parental responsibilities.

You’ll also get to enjoy holidays off and two months off during the summer. Not bad!

Chapter 3:

How to Get a Teacher’s Aide Certification

Whether you work in a primary or elementary school, employers typically require candidates to hold a teacher’s aide certification and demonstrate their abilities to land a job in the field.  So a certification may be the best way to get started in this exciting new career.

 

5 Things to Look for In A Certification Program

1. Find an online Teacher’s Aide program from an authorized school or accredited university

Gaining a proper education is the most important thing you can do toward your new career. Not only will you receive important skills and knowledge, but you’ll also have a certificate to proudly hang on your wall!

2. Look for a discount, no upfront payment, and a low monthly payment plan

As an adult learner, you probably don’t have extra money lying around for higher education. It’s important to look for a school that offers financial help. That’s why OnlineDegree.com has partnered with universities that offer huge discounts toward their certification.

3. Make sure an externship placement is included

Hands-on experience is what will set you apart from other candidates and help you land your dream job.

4. Look for an online, mentor supported course you can take at your own pace

Online education is a game-changer. Adult students can learn at their own pace and on their own schedule, while still receiving the help and mentoring they need to succeed.

5. Find out if textbooks are included in the cost of the program

Textbooks can be expensive! Make sure to find a program that doesn’t charge extra for books.

6. (Bonus!) We have found an online training program that meets all of these criteria!

We’ve done the research for you!

We have found an online program for you that checks all the boxes, and then some!

Let us introduce you to:

Preppy’s Online Teacher’s Aide Training Program!

Learn all about this ideal program here.

Chapter 4:

Teacher’s Aide Salary Data

How much do Teacher’s Aides make? Here is the salary and growth data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS):

The median annual wage for teacher assistants was $27,920 in May 2019. This number is influenced by a few different factors such as location, education, and years of experience.

Your salary will also be dependent on where you teach. For example, a teacher’s aide can earn a little more, $28,520 a year, working in an elementary school whereas they may make $24,680 working in a child day care service.

Chapter 5:

Teacher’s Aide Job Growth Projections and Forecast

How fast is the Teacher’s Aide field growing? According to the BLS, employment of teacher’s aides is projected to grow 4% from 2018 to 2028, which is about as fast as the average for all occupations

Part of this growth will be a response to rising student enrollment along with state and federal funding of education programs.

While job prospects are good across the board, it is likely those candidates who hold certification will stand the best chance at marketing themselves and getting noticed.

Luckily we can connect you with authorized schools or accredited universities that offer this training!

Chapter 6:

How to Find a Job as a Teacher’s Aide

Your first step toward your career as a teacher’s aide is to obtain certification training through an authorized school or accredited university.

This will ensure a solid educational foundation and get you ready to enter the job market.

Next, you’ll want to determine what setting you’d like to work in. Teacher’s aides typically work in preschool, kindergarten, or elementary classrooms.

Many choose to work specifically with special education students. Some teacher’s aides also work in school libraries, school computer labs, or childcare centers. So you’ll want to take some time to determine what setting appeals to you the most.

Once you’ve determined your preferred work setting, your next step is to gain some critical real-world experience before pounding the proverbial pavement. The good news is a quality certification program will include an externship so you can gain some hands-on experience!

Chapter 7:

Frequently Asked Questions

Additional questions and answers you may have about Teacher’s Aide.

Q: What Does a Teacher’s Aide Do Every Day?

A: Teacher’s aides support the efforts of head teachers by supervising instructional activities to help students understand lessons. Some days a teacher’s aide may work with small groups of children and other days they may work one-on-one. They will also help teacher’s plan their lessons and assist in clerical tasks like attendance and recording grades.

 

Q: What is a Teacher’s Aide Certification?

A: This certification is a valuable asset to have as it shows prospective employers that you have taken the time to obtain the skills and knowledge necessary to make a positive impact in their school. This certification will help you stand apart from the crowd and hopefully get your resume to the top of the pile!

 

Q: What Skills Will I Learn in Teacher’s Aide Training?

A: You will learn the developmental foundations for educating young children and how to design appropriate curriculums in order to support head teachers. Your focus will be on early childhood education and you will learn strategies and tools for developing thoughtful and engaging lesson plans that will help children succeed.

 

Q: What Are the Prerequisites for Enrollment in a Certificate Program?

A: The only requirement for enrollment in these programs is a high school diploma or equivalent.

Chapter 8:

How to Start Towards a Teacher’s Aide Career In 6 Months

Even if you don’t have any prior experience or degree – you could start towards a career as a teacher’s aide in just 6 months! That’s one of the greatest advantages of this profession.

A teacher’s aide certification is required or preferred by most employers. Plus, taking a certification program could be the best way to get your foot in the door, build your network, get training, and work experience.

Preppy’s Online Teacher’s Aide Training Program could be your one-step solution for everything you need to become a Teacher’s Aide.

How? Well, Preppy’s program offers:

  • Fully Online, Self-Paced Learning
  • Comprehensive Certification Exam Preparation
  • An Externship Opportunity For Real Work Experience
  • Affordable Programs and Low Monthly Payments
  • University Certificate of Completion, from an accredited and not-for-profit university

If you are ready to get started on an exciting and rewarding career, then click here to learn more about Preppy’s program! Your career in Teaching is just a good online program away!