Right now, the requirements for becoming a teaching assistant are different depending upon the kind of school you are applying to. In 2001, the No Child Left Behind Act was ratified, which meant that all teaching assistants hired after January 8, 2002 who work at a Title I school (a school that receives fundingfrom the government) must demonstrate that they are “highly qualified” by meeting one of the following requirements:
• Have finished at least two years of higher education (at least 48 semester hours from an accredited institution), OR
• Have obtained an associate’s (or higher) degree, OR
• Have met a rigorous standard of quality and can show, through a formal State or local academic assessment, knowledge of and the ability to assist in core subject areas.
Although some schools require a teacher’s aide to have graduated high school, more and more school districts that are not Title I are also requiring teacher’s aides to be “highly qualified,” both to be consistent among districts and to serve students better. Therefore, I would recommend that everyone who wants to work as a teaching assistant should find teaching assistant courses and become “highly qualified.” This will allow you to not only remain within the profession without anxiety, but also to feel more confident in your ability to serve the students you see every day.
Next, I will recommend some effective teaching assistant courses you can take to meet the “highly qualified” requirements with as little stress as possible. These courses that I recommend are not only very affordable, but also provide a great, accredited education. Now, because the teacher’s aide position only requires either two years of education or an associate’s degree, you have a lot of freedom concerning what courses to attend-you can take courses that directly relate to education, or you can even take courses to open up doors to other careers as well!
You have three primary choices for where to take courses to meet the “highly qualified” requirement for becoming a teaching assistant:
1. Community College
2. Online University
3. Traditional University
If you are looking for the most affordable and efficient path to gaining the qualifications to become a teacher’s aide, I would recommend these three options in the order listed above. To help you make the best choice possible, I have also provided information concerning the pros and cons of each option above.
Also, to help save on the cost of taking teaching assistant courses, I also have information concerning scholarship and other ways to cut costs while taking classes.
