U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration https://www.onetonline.org 8m 2,087 #insights
The views of this article are the perspective of the author and may not be reflective of Confessions of the Professions.
Perform duties that are instructional in nature or deliver direct services to students or parents. Serve in a position for which a teacher has ultimate responsibility for the design and implementation of educational programs and services.Sample of reported job titles:
Educational Assistant, Instructional Assistant, Paraeducator, Paraprofessional, Special Education Aide, Special Education Paraprofessional, Special Education Teacher Assistant, Teacher Aide, Teacher Assistant, Teaching Assistant
Tasks
- Tutor and assist children individually or in small groups to help them master assignments and to reinforce learning concepts presented by teachers.
- Teach social skills to students.
- Supervise students in classrooms, halls, cafeterias, school yards, and gymnasiums, or on field trips.
- Provide extra assistance to students with special needs.
- Observe students’ performance, and record relevant data to assess progress.
- Enforce administration policies and rules governing students.
- Present subject matter to students under the direction and guidance of teachers, using lectures, discussions, or supervised role-playing methods.
- 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.
- Organize and supervise games and other recreational activities to promote physical, mental, and social development.
- Distribute tests and homework assignments and collect them when they are completed.
- Distribute teaching materials, such as textbooks, workbooks, papers, and pencils to students.
- Clean classrooms.
- Organize and label materials and display students’ work in a manner appropriate for their eye levels and perceptual skills.
- Prepare lesson materials, bulletin board displays, exhibits, equipment, and demonstrations.
- Requisition and stock teaching materials and supplies.
- Type, file, and duplicate materials.
- Attend staff meetings and serve on committees, as required.
- Carry out therapeutic regimens, such as behavior modification and personal development programs, under the supervision of special education instructors, psychologists, or speech-language pathologists.
- Assist in bus loading and unloading.
- Participate in teacher-parent conferences regarding students’ progress or problems.
- Provide disabled students with assistive devices, supportive technology, and assistance accessing facilities, such as restrooms.
- Collect money from students for school-related projects.
- Prepare lesson outlines and plans in assigned subject areas and submit outlines to teachers for review.
- Grade homework and tests, and compute and record results, using answer sheets or electronic marking devices.
- Use computers, audio-visual aids, and other equipment and materials to supplement presentations.
- Maintain computers in classrooms and laboratories and assist students with hardware and software use.
- Take class attendance and maintain attendance records.
- Operate and maintain audio-visual equipment.
- Monitor classroom viewing of live or recorded courses transmitted by communication satellites.
- Conduct demonstrations to teach skills, such as sports, dancing, and handicrafts.
- Plan, prepare, and develop various teaching aids, such as bibliographies, charts, and graphs.
- Assist librarians in school libraries.
Technology Skills
Knowledge
- English Language — Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
- Education and Training — Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
- Public Safety and Security — Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
- Customer and Personal Service — Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
- Psychology — Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
Skills
- Active Listening — Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Speaking — Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Instructing — Teaching others how to do something.
- Social Perceptiveness — Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
- Coordination — Adjusting actions in relation to others’ actions.
- Learning Strategies — Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
- Reading Comprehension — Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
- Active Learning — Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
- Critical Thinking — Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
- Judgment and Decision Making — Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
- Monitoring — Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
- Service Orientation — Actively looking for ways to help people.
Abilities
- Oral Comprehension — The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
- Oral Expression — The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
- Speech Clarity — The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
- Speech Recognition — The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
- Information Ordering — The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
- Near Vision — The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
- Problem Sensitivity — The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
- Deductive Reasoning — The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
- Selective Attention — The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
- Written Comprehension — The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
Work Activities
- Assisting and Caring for Others — Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates — Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships — Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
- Getting Information — Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
- Training and Teaching Others — Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
- Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings — Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
Detailed Work Activities
- Teach daily living skills or behaviors.
- Teach life skills.
- Tutor students who need extra assistance.
- Supervise school or student activities.
- Maintain student records.
- Assist students with special educational needs.
- Monitor student performance.
- Enforce rules or policies governing student behavior.
- Apply multiple teaching methods.
- Collaborate with other teaching professionals to develop educational programs.
- Teach others to use technology or equipment.
- Plan educational activities.
- Discuss student progress with parents or guardians.
- Distribute instructional or library materials.
- Document lesson plans.
- Evaluate student work.
- Create technology-based learning materials.
- Clean facilities or work areas.
- Maintain clean work areas.
- Maintain computer equipment or software.
- Display student work.
- Operate audiovisual equipment.
- Develop instructional materials.
- Maintain inventories of materials, equipment, or products.
- Teach physical education.
- Serve on institutional or departmental committees.
- Assist other educational professionals with projects or research.
- Set up classroom materials or equipment.
Find occupations related to multiple detailed work activities
Work Context
- Contact With Others — 81% responded “Constant contact with others.”
- Face-to-Face Discussions — 83% responded “Every day.”
- Physical Proximity — 61% responded “Very close (near touching).”
- Work With Work Group or Team — 56% responded “Extremely important.”
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled — 81% responded “Every day.”
- Coordinate or Lead Others — 38% responded “Extremely important.”
- Electronic Mail — 48% responded “Every day.”
- Structured versus Unstructured Work — 36% responded “Some freedom.”
- Freedom to Make Decisions — 39% responded “Some freedom.”
- Spend Time Walking and Running — 30% responded “Less than half the time.”
- Spend Time Standing — 36% responded “More than half the time.”
- Frequency of Decision Making — 41% responded “Every day.”
- Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results — 25% responded “Very important results.”
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate — 33% responded “Important.”
- Responsible for Others’ Health and Safety — 27% responded “Very high responsibility.”
- Deal With External Customers — 30% responded “Not important at all.”
- Frequency of Conflict Situations — 24% responded “Once a week or more but not every day.”
- Sounds, Noise Levels Are Distracting or Uncomfortable — 38% responded “Never.”
Job Zone
| Title | Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed |
| Education | Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate’s degree. |
| Related Experience | Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job. |
| Job Training | Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations. |
| Job Zone Examples | These occupations usually involve using communication and organizational skills to coordinate, supervise, manage, or train others to accomplish goals. Examples include hydroelectric production managers, travel guides, electricians, agricultural technicians, barbers, court reporters, and medical assistants. |
| SVP Range | (6.0 to < 7.0) |
Education
 Percentage of Respondents | Education Level Required |
|---|---|
| Not available | Post-secondary certificate  |
| Not available | Some college, no degree |
| Not available | High school diploma or equivalent |
Interests
Interest code: SC
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- Social — Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
- Conventional — Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
Work Styles
- Dependability — Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
- Self Control — Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
- Concern for Others — Job requires being sensitive to others’ needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
- Integrity — Job requires being honest and ethical.
- Cooperation — Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
- Stress Tolerance — Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.
- Social Orientation — Job requires preferring to work with others rather than alone, and being personally connected with others on the job.
- Leadership — Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.
- Adaptability/Flexibility — Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
- Initiative — Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
- Persistence — Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
- Achievement/Effort — Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
- Attention to Detail — Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
- Innovation — Job requires creativity and alternative thinking to develop new ideas for and answers to work-related problems.
- Analytical Thinking — Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
- Independence — Job requires developing one’s own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
Work Values
- Relationships — Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
- Support — Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
- Achievement — Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
Wages & Employment Trends
| Median wages (2018) | $26,970 annual |
| State wages | |
| Employment (2018) | 1,380,000 employees |
| Projected growth (2018-2028) |  Average (4% to 6%) |
| Projected job openings (2018-2028) | 153,900 |
| State trends | |
| Top industries (2018) | |
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics 2018 wage data
and 2018-2028 employment projections.
“Projected growth” represents the estimated change in total employment over the projections period (2018-2028). “Projected job openings” represent openings due to growth and replacement.
Sources of Additional Information
Disclaimer:
Sources are listed to provide additional information on related jobs, specialties, and/or industries.
Links to non-DOL Internet sites are provided for your convenience and do not constitute an endorsement.
Source: https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/25-9041.00
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