Occupation · SOC 25-9042
Teaching Assistants, Preschool, Elementary, Middle, and Secondary School, Except Special Education
Assist a preschool, elementary, middle, or secondary school teacher with instructional duties. Serve in a position for which a teacher has primary responsibility for the design and implementation of educational programs and services.
Median wage
$36,690
$24,960–$69,330
Projected growth
—
—
Annual openings
—
per year
Employed (US)
1,866,060
Job Zone 3
Typical preparation
Medium preparation
Stackable credential programs
1,502 mapped
Core skills
Active ListeningSocial PerceptivenessReading ComprehensionSpeakingCoordinationService OrientationMonitoringInstructing
Knowledge areas
Customer and Personal ServiceEnglish LanguagePsychologyMathematicsEducation and Training
Technology & tools
Computer based training softwareData base user interface and query softwareDesktop communications softwareElectronic mail softwareVideo creation and editing software
Representative tasks
Supervise students in classrooms, halls, cafeterias, school yards, and gymnasiums, or on field trips.Tutor and assist children individually or in small groups to help them master assignments and to reinforce learning concepts presented by teachers.Enforce administration policies and rules governing students.Teach social skills to students.Instruct and monitor students in the use and care of equipment and materials to prevent injuries and damage.Discuss assigned duties with classroom teachers to coordinate instructional efforts.Present subject matter to students under the direction and guidance of teachers, using lectures, discussions, supervised role-playing methods, or by reading aloud.Clean classrooms.Observe students' performance, and record relevant data to assess progress.Organize and label materials and display students' work in a manner appropriate for their eye levels and perceptual skills.Organize and supervise games and other recreational activities to promote physical, mental, and social development.Attend staff meetings and serve on committees, as required.Use computers, audio-visual aids, and other equipment and materials to supplement presentations.Prepare lesson materials, bulletin board displays, exhibits, equipment, and demonstrations.Conduct demonstrations to teach skills, such as sports, dancing, and handicrafts.Distribute teaching materials, such as textbooks, workbooks, papers, and pencils, to students.Type, file, and duplicate materials.Laminate teaching materials to increase their durability under repeated use.Requisition and stock teaching materials and supplies.Take class attendance and maintain attendance records.Participate in teacher-parent conferences regarding students' progress or problems.Assist in bus loading and unloading.Maintain computers in classrooms and laboratories, and assist students with hardware and software use.Grade homework and tests, and compute and record results, using answer sheets or electronic marking devices.Plan, prepare, and develop various teaching aids, such as bibliographies, charts, and graphs.Operate and maintain audio-visual equipment.Distribute tests and homework assignments and collect them when they are completed.Collect money from students for school-related projects.
Competency framework
Skill expectations by proficiency level.
emerging
Student supervision in classrooms and hallways — carry out under direct teacher guidance using established school protocols.Individual tutoring sessions — assist students one-on-one with assigned tasks following lesson plans prepared by the classroom teacher.School administration policies — recognize and apply basic student conduct rules under close supervision in a K–12 classroom setting.Social skills instruction — reinforce teacher-led lessons on sharing, turn-taking, and respectful communication during structured classroom activities.Classroom equipment and materials — monitor student use and report unsafe conditions to the supervising teacher on a daily basis.Assigned instructional duties — discuss expectations with the classroom teacher at the start of each shift to coordinate support activities.Read-aloud and guided discussion sessions — present prepared content to small groups under direct teacher direction in an elementary or middle school classroom.Classroom maintenance tasks — clean and organize instructional spaces, including wiping surfaces and arranging materials, following school cleanliness standards.Electronic mail software — send and receive routine communications with supervising teachers and school staff using district-approved platforms.Active listening skills — attend carefully to student questions and teacher instructions in a busy classroom environment to ensure accurate task completion.
developing
Student supervision across multiple settings — manage conduct in cafeterias, gymnasiums, schoolyards, and on field trips with moderate teacher oversight.Small-group tutoring — facilitate concept reinforcement sessions for groups of two to five students, adapting pacing to individual learning needs in a K–12 setting.Policy enforcement — consistently apply and explain student conduct rules to learners and communicate infractions to appropriate staff with limited prompting.Social-emotional learning activities — lead structured lessons on conflict resolution and empathy using teacher-approved curricula in a classroom environment.Equipment care instruction — demonstrate and monitor proper use of classroom technology and lab materials, correcting unsafe behaviors before incidents occur.Instructional coordination meetings — participate in regular planning discussions with classroom teachers to align support strategies with current lesson objectives.Subject matter presentations — deliver short lectures and supervised role-play exercises to students on teacher-assigned topics across core subject areas.Classroom environment upkeep — maintain organized and sanitary instructional spaces independently, restocking supplies and reporting maintenance needs to administration.Computer-based training software — support students in navigating educational programs, troubleshooting basic access issues in a school computer lab or blended learning classroom.Time management practices — organize daily task schedules across multiple classrooms or student groups to meet instructional support commitments reliably.
proficient
Multi-setting student supervision — independently oversee student behavior and safety across classrooms, hallways, cafeterias, and off-campus field trip environments, exercising sound professional judgment.Differentiated tutoring support — design and implement individualized reinforcement strategies for struggling learners across diverse grade levels and subject areas within a K–12 school.Policy application and de-escalation — interpret and enforce school conduct policies while using social perceptiveness to de-escalate behavioral situations before teacher intervention is required.Social skills curriculum delivery — plan and teach targeted social skills lessons aligned to school-wide behavioral frameworks, adjusting content for developmental and cultural context.Safety-focused equipment instruction — proactively instruct students on equipment care protocols and conduct risk assessments to prevent injuries in laboratory, technology, and physical education settings.Cross-classroom instructional collaboration — coordinate independently with multiple teachers to integrate support strategies that reinforce consistent learning outcomes across subject areas.Multimedia-supported instruction — develop and deliver subject matter presentations using multimedia educational software and video creation tools, enhancing student engagement in secondary school contexts.Learning data monitoring — track individual and group progress using database and project management software, providing teachers with actionable observations to inform instructional adjustments.Video conferencing facilitation — lead virtual small-group tutoring or instructional sessions using conferencing platforms, managing student participation and technical troubleshooting independently.Complex problem-solving in student support — analyze persistent learning or behavioral challenges affecting individual students and recommend evidence-informed interventions to the classroom teacher and support team.
advanced
School-wide supervision systems — lead the design and continuous improvement of student supervision protocols across all campus environments, setting standards adopted by the full paraprofessional team.Peer coaching and mentorship — mentor and evaluate emerging and developing teaching assistants, modeling effective tutoring techniques and providing structured feedback to build team instructional capacity.Policy development advisory role — contribute expertise to the revision of student conduct policies and classroom management guidelines, representing paraprofessional perspectives to school leadership.Social-emotional learning program leadership — spearhead school-wide social skills initiatives, collaborating with counselors, teachers, and administrators to align program goals with student wellbeing outcomes.Safety culture stewardship — establish and champion school-wide standards for equipment use, classroom safety, and injury prevention, training staff and conducting regular compliance reviews.Instructional partnership framework — develop structured collaborative models between teaching assistants and classroom teachers, formalizing coordination practices that raise consistency of student support across grade levels.Professional development curriculum design — create and facilitate training workshops for paraprofessional staff on instructional methods, learning strategies, and technology tools used in K–12 educational environments.Data-driven program evaluation — lead the collection, analysis, and reporting of student support data using database and project management platforms, presenting findings to school leadership to guide resource allocation.Technology integration leadership — evaluate, pilot, and champion the adoption of emerging educational technologies — including adaptive learning and multimedia tools — across the school's instructional support program.Organizational advocacy and representation — represent the teaching assistant workforce in school improvement committees, communicating staffing needs, workload considerations, and professional development priorities to administrators and district leadership.
Also known as
71 alternate job titles map to this occupation.
Formal School Officer Instructor (Marine Corps 0952)Education And Training Superintendent (Air Force 3F291)Helper TeacherClassroom AideExam Scorer (Examination Scorer)Instructor (Air Force 81T0)GraderPreschool Teacher AideStudy Hall SupervisorExam Proctor (Examination Proctor)Formal Instructor (Navy 003704)Early Childhood Teacher Assistant (EC Teacher Assistant)Educational Assistant TeacherLearning Support AideEducational AssistantIn School Suspension Aide (ISS Aide)BSIP Instructional Aide (Basic Skills Improvement Program Instructional Aide)Practice TeacherPreschool ParaprofessionalInstructor Training Officer (Navy 3262)Instructor (Navy 805A)Elementary ParaprofessionalParaprofessional Aide TeacherBilingual Teacher AidePreschool Instructional Assistant (Preschool IA)Formal School Instructor (Marine Corps 0951)Paraprofessional EducatorSchool Reading AideTeacher's AideParaprofessional AideEducation And Training Apprentice (Air Force 3F231)Paper GraderElementary InstructorEducation And Training Manager (Air Force 3F200)Instructional AssistantTest GraderParaeducatorKindergartner HelperStudent TeacherInstructional Paraprofessional