Becoming a Teaching Assistant – Everything You Need to Know

So many of us feel under-appreciated and undervalued in our current careers. While the prospect of embarking on a new career is incredibly daunting, it may be the best move that you will ever make in your professional life. Lots of people feel that their current job is just that: a job. If you want a career that makes you feel fulfilled and enriched, a new career as a teaching assistant could just be the right move for you.

A Career in the World of Education

If you love children and want to help enrich their educational experiences, a career move into the world of education can be rewarding for both you and your prospective pupils. Becoming a teaching assistant is relatively easy, but you will need to demonstrate a passion for teaching when it comes to securing much sought after teaching assistant courses.

If you enjoy working with children and you want to play a pivotal role in their education and academic success, a job as a teaching assistant could just be the perfect job for you.

Research the Requirements

Local authorities and schools usually decide which qualifications and experience that they want their potential staff to have. So, if you have a specific school or location in mind as your ‘dream’ workplace, it may be advisable to research their requirements so that you can tailor your course to suit their needs.

Similarly, if you have a great deal of experience working with children, you may not need any qualifications at all for becoming a teaching assistant. However, if this is a new career move, it is advisable that you undertake a relevant teaching assistant course in order for you to demonstrate your knowledge of working with children. However, schools tend to look for the ‘right candidate’ above all else. If you can demonstrate your personality and attitude towards teaching and you show potential and enthusiasm, schools may hire you without the relevant qualifications thus enabling you to learn on the job.

What You Need to Know For Becoming a Teaching Assistant

Teaching assistants help support teachers and children within the classroom. This means that you will have an active role in their educational and social development. Of course, specific work tasks will depend on what age group you will be supporting.

There are many different educational institutions that you can choose from as you embark on your career as a teaching assistant:

• Nursery schools
• Pre-school groups
• Primary schools
• Independent schools
• Secondary schools
• Specialist schools

Some schools call for their teaching assistants to have professional and specialist subjects. This could be in science, maths, history or English. If you are bilingual, you will have far greater opportunities within the education system as a whole. Ensure that you are fully committed to your specialist subject in order to get the very best from your new career.

Higher Studies

Once you have completed your training, should you choose to do so, you can increase your opportunities from thereon in. Should you decide that the world of education is for you, you could go on to complete further qualifications and become a Higher Level Teaching Assistant. Of course, should you want to go on even further into the world of teaching, you could become a fully qualified teacher by going on to university and gaining a degree in teaching.