Teacher Assistant


  • Social & Behavioral Sciences

Teacher assistants support public or private school teachers in daily classroom activities. They provide assistance in regular classrooms, in special education classrooms and in one-on-one situations with special needs students. Teacher assistants are being employed at all levels of education from early childhood through secondary education.

What Will I Learn?

Students in the Teacher Assistant program learn how to provide support in general education and special education classrooms, from pre-K through grade 12. They learn about the educational system, about approaches to teaching, and how to work with students in general and special education

What is Unique about the Teacher Assistant Program? 

JJC's Teacher Assistant program includes three field experiences in which students have the opportunity to work directly with younger students in a variety of classrooms. The first field experience occurs when students take Introduction to Education; the second one is when they take the Students with Disabilities class; and the third is a practicum experience in which they spend 64 hours in one classroom.

In addition, all of the coursework and experiences in the Teacher Assistant program transfer to other institutions and is included in teacher education programs at four-year colleges or universities. So, if students later decide to obtain a teaching license, their JJC coursework will transfer to their teacher education program.

What Degree or Certificate Will I Receive? 

Degree

Certificate

What are My Career Opportunities? 

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of teacher assistants is projected to grow 8 percent from 2016 to 2026, about as fast as the average for all occupations. Rising student enrollment along with state and federal funding for education programs should affect growth.

JJC's Education Program