Teacher's aide

Duties and tasks

• Assisting individual children with social, emotional, or behavioral skills that are needed
• Attend extra-curricular activities in a supervisory role
• Direct supervision of students during different times throughout the school or program day
• Nurture students in both academic and non-academic activities during program hours
• Provide help to the lead teacher with non-teaching duties such as handing out papers, arts and crafts, or lunch duties

Skills required

• Ability to instruct small groups or individual students in basic skills when necessary
• Ability to motivate young children to participate in unfamiliar or academic activities
• Communication skills are necessary in conversing with parents, children, and teachers
• Social awareness is important for the aide who will often need to self-direct to be most helpful to the lead teacher
• The ability to redirect students into appropriate behaviors during activities is necessary

Working conditions

A Teachers Aide most often works in preschool or special education settings, but can work anywhere a teacher is present as an assistant. The typical working hours are based on the centre, daycare, or school in which the aide was employed. Teachers aides work when the given center is open in all-weather types, but the job is predominantly an indoor one.

Professional associations / Industry information

Department of Education (WA) 

Department of Education and Training (ACT) 

NSW Teachers Federation 

Queensland College of Teachers 

Teachers Registration Board of South Australia 

Victorian Institute of Teaching 

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• Education Worker
• Special Needs
• Teachers Assistant
• Student Liaison Officer
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• Teacher - English as a Second Language
• Teacher - Music
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• Teacher - Pre-School
• Teacher - Primary
• Teacher - Secondary
• Teacher - Special Education
• Tutor
• University Lecturer