The teaching profession is flourishing day by day, and this is the reason why more and more number of people are showing interest in teacher and TA jobs.However, before you apply for the post of a teacher assistant, let’s get to know about the duties and requirements of this post.

A teacher assistant or a TA acts subordinate to the lead teacher, and helps with various tasks associated with teaching. General supervision and management of the classroom are the main responsibilities of a TA. Since their job requires them to be with children, there are many tasks they perform, which though seems apparently simple, but can actually be very tricky. Below are mentioned some important duties that a teacher assistant needs to perform.

Duties of an Assistant Teacher:

They help the lead teacher in planning and implementing their daily programs in school.

Occasionally, when the lead teacher is not around, a TA has to supervise the classroom.

They have to create a proper learning environment for kids, supply them with required materials, stationary and so on, and they also have to set up interest centres.

Assistant teachers are also required to attend conferences, staff meetings and essential training programs.

The lead teachers plan activities that help in intellectual, social, and emotional development of children, and it is a part of the duty of the assistants to help teachers carry out such tasks successfully.

Some professional organizations work towards the proper development of kids in their early days. The assistant teachers are required to participate in such programs.

The assistants also need to help children develop good habits, like personal hygiene. Even though this might seem to be a minor task, it indeed has an important role to play in the life of kids. Some tasks related to personal hygiene are diaper changing and toilet training.

In case an assistant notices any problem with a child, it is his/her responsibility to inform it to the lead teacher.

It is also a part of the TA job to maintain a clean and neat classroom.

Physical Requirements to Become a TA

If you plan to apply for TA jobs, then there are certain physical requirements you need to fulfil. You should be able to lift a weight of about 40 pounds. You should also be able to stretch and bend, and climb the stairs without difficulty. A TA should also be able to push the emergency evacuation buckets which weigh about 150 pounds.

Special Education TA

If you want to apply for the post of a special education assistant teacher then you must have a minimum of one to two years of experience. Since you will need to handle children with disabilities, you must fulfil your assigned responsibilities with extra care. Those with knowledge of basic first aid, and certification and training in CPR, will enjoy a preference in this job post.

Even though the job of a TA is secondary to that of lead teachers, but it is not less important. It is essential to have various types of skills, and the presence of mind to be able to deal with kids successfully. The resume of an assistant teacher must include a short account of skills that the candidate possesses, and the reason why he/she has applied for the job.

For many of us, there may come a time when you feel that you want a total change of career. This can happen for many reasons such as change in personal circumstances, offered a job in a different industry to one that you are used to or just feeling like you want a change. Whatever the reason for wanting to change your career, you need to assess the affects that this will have on your time, financial situation and future prospects. It may be that you will need to return to some sort of education to obtain a qualification or specific training, which could mean to are not able to work at the same time. This can have a massive affect on your finances.

Try and be sure that this is something that you really want to do, and not just something you have decided after a bad day at work in your current role.