Any Teacher Assistants out there?

Question

I was wondering what do you do during your work day, your job duties? Do you like your job? I know it's different at different schools and different places, I was just wondering what other people are doing out there? I am thinking of applying for a position in my town, but I'm looking for other peoples opinions as well. Thanks!

Answer 1

I am a TA and I absolutely love my job. During the day I help students individually with work and things like that if the teacher is with another student. I also do grading sometimes and prepare materials if we are doing something hands on. Thats just a little of what I do but you could research it because if I told you every single thing I did it would probably take up about two pages lol.

Answer 2

Teaching assistants are used differently in different situations.
Usually, but not always, assistants work in special education classrooms. There are a few jobs working with regular education kids and that tends to be in Pre-K or K.

Special ed comes in many shapes and forms. You may be working with severely handicapped children in "profound" classes or moderately handicapped children in "life skills" classes. The younger or more handicapped children are, the more likely you are to be doing some toileting. Life skills classes can really be fun, especially middle and high school.

There are also classes for students with emotional disturbance or behavior disorders that require an assistant who will often teach easy lessons, supervise, grade or help give points. Another class is for students with fairly severe learning disabilities who are far behind their peers. In these classes, you tend to help with grading, teaching and supervision.. For these classes, working in grades 3-4 tends to be better.

There are also classes for children with autism. Again you prepare materials, supervise, go to lunch with the students and work with individuals. Again working in the higher grades with this group tends to be more rewarding.

I hope this helps a bit

Answer 3

No. they are no longer. instructors gets a commission ALOT extra. To be a instructor you've gotten a bachelors and characteristic surpassed state required tests. In my college district, you've gotten some college hours to be a instructor's Assistant (consistent with possibility reminiscent of an pals) Your responsibilites as a instructor assistant would variety with the help of your top place, the college, the district... or maybe the instructor you paintings with. i'm a instructor's assistant myself and that i think like I do each thing: the adorning, the lecture room administration (exceptionally the lecture room administration ), maintenance of the lecture room, even coaching. i think like i'm almost the instructor (and surely no longer getting paid sufficient for all that I do). She does do the place of work work however. I surely have been qualified to instruct consistent with possibility for the reason that final August. even with the incontrovertible fact that, with the help of that element when I had each thing waiting to pass, all the college's vacancies were "crammed". so as that they provided me a instructor's assistant place. i desperate to take it, because of the fact i assumed that would desire to get my foot interior the door. nevertheless attempting to get the rest in. So, for the talents that i've got have been given, I surely sense underpaid... yet I do think of it relatively is a good activity. exceptionally while you're questioning approximately going into practise later, consistent with possibility being a instructor, i think of this is nice palms- on experience.

Answer 4

Dearest kornkrazed:

How gozit~ HotShot! :-)

Yuppers~
I've been there~ Done THAT!

It's a Worthy Quest~
& I personally learned a LOT!
But it sure got FRUSTRATING 4 me!

My Perception?
Government Sponsored Education
in the U.S. *sorely lacks Direction~
& Effectiveness!

What is my Bottom Line for
*SUCCESSFUL Learning?
REAL Education should Foster Creativity
& ENCOURAGE STUDENTS TO THINK
FOR THEMSELVES! Be Mature!

What do they do?
They Tell Students to Shut-Up, Sit-Down~
& paint the flowers RED! (Be a good
little "Soldier"!)

Why aren't students taught & encouraged to
develope effective communication skills~
and paint with whatever CREATIVE
COLOR is deemed necessary?

Sometimes we are creating little
insecure robots who are incapable
of tackling the challenges of life!
Sometimes simple "Common Sense"~
is SO *VERY UNCOMMON!

A Fantastic Alternative is Montessori
Schools & home schooling! Tactile
Learning & Empathy is Key!

There are wonderful Teachers & TA's
in our system! Unfortunately, many are
lacking the proper Tools & a renewed
FOCUS to effective Learning Strategies!

If you take a TA Position, you will find
that the vast majority of time is WASTED
On Irrelevant Organizational Activities!
(Lining up, Fire Drills, Roll-Call,
General Assemblies, Study Halls,
Teachers' Meetings, Home Room,
Announcements & Notices! Many times
is it "Baby-Sitters" & Day-Care Centers!
Mucho time is spent on Disciplinary
Matters! What a shame & WASTE!)

How about Nurturing Students & teaching
them the necessary Life-Skills to be
effective citizens for their own future?

I prefer the term "Learning Enabler"~
as opposed to a TEACHER!

My opinion for you~ kornkrazed!
A Great TA must try & Instill a Strong &
Positive Sense of SECURITY within
a Student. Nurture Creativity! Get
students to THINK For Themselves!
Don't necessarily TELL & COMMAND
them what to do. Just set Perimeters
& let the students run with it!

A Students Brain Is A Terrible Thing
TO WASTE! Most of the Fantastic
Activities for students have been
CUT OUT of the Curriculum! Music
Programs, Drama & Exra-Curricular
Activities have fallen with the Budgets
Economic AXE! These Programs are
CRITICAL for "Right & Left Brain
Activity" & Proper FULL Developement!

Most Of Our Ed. System is~
PROFOUNDLY DYSFUNCTIONAL!

YET, THERE IS SO MUCH
POSITIVE POTENTIAL !

In Los Angeles, CA~ here?
After over a year~ Administrators are
still trying to figure out how to PAY The
Teachers & TA's! Their Gen. Accounting
Program System is so screwed up~
Most of the staff does NOT have a
proper &/or a correct pay check!

It's INSANE!
And THESE are the people who are
supposed to "Teach" our students that~
2 + 2 = 4 ?

It's Frustrating!
Yet~ there is so much Positive Talent~
& Profound Potential!

Perhaps YOU can help make a Difference~
kornkrazed!

Good Luck~
Happy Trails !
PS: Most schools are "Dumbing Down"
our Impressional Students. I recommend
a book for you By Dr. John Gatto.
He was a teacher in NY & wrote a book
by that name: "Dumbing Us Down"!