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Teacher's Aide: Education Needed to Become a Teacher's Aide

Published Sep 02, 2009

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A Teacher's Aide supports a classroom teacher, monitoring student activity, helping children with reading or math, and keeping classroom records. A Teacher's Aide often supervises cafeteria and recess activities. Training and education depends on the type of school where a Teacher's Aide works.

Teacher's Aide Career Summary

A Teacher's Aide gives clerical and instructional support to classroom teachers. He or she assists students in learning class material by following the teacher's instructional plan. A Teacher's Aide often supervises recreational and recess activities. Many Teacher's Aides work with special education students requiring additional assistance. Teacher's Aides working at the secondary level most often work in specialized areas, such as English, math and science.

Education Required to Become A Teacher's Aide

In regular school settings, Teacher's Aides may need only high school diplomas or GEDs, and gain experience through on-the-job training. A college degree in child development helps a Teacher's Aide gain employment. Since 2006, federal law requires Teacher's Aides in Title I schools, ones with large populations of children from low-income families, to have 2-year or higher degrees or a minimum of two years of college, or to pass a stringent state or local examination.

Required Teacher's Aide Job Training and Certifications

Many Teacher's Aides gain experience through on-the-job training. Colleges offer certificates and degrees for people wishing to become Teacher's Aides in Title I schools, or wishing to further their education. The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 designates specific educational requirements for Teacher's Aides. To meet these requirements, an aspiring Teacher's Aide could earn an Associate in Applied Science Degree as a Paraprofessional Educator/Teacher's Aide at a college, such as Kankakee Community College, www.kcc.edu, that would enhance his or her employability. Teacher's Aides who speak a second language, such as Spanish, are in high demand due to the number of students and parents whose first language is not English, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, www.bls.gov.

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