Teaching assistant

A teaching assistant (TA) or education assistant (EA) is an individual who assists a

undergraduate students; secondary school TAs, who are either high school students or adults; and elementary school TAs, who are adults (also known as paraprofessional educators

or teacher's aides).

By definition, TAs assist with classes, but many graduate students serve as the sole instructor for one or more classes each semester as a

graduate student instructor,^[1]^[2]

although in some American states, such as Florida, they are called "teaching assistants". Graduate and adult TAs generally have a fixed salary determined by each contract period (usually a semester or an academic year); however, undergraduates and high school students are sometimes unpaid and in the US and other countries with the credit system, receive course credits in return for their assistance.

Graduate

Graduate teaching assistants (often referred to as GTAs or simply TAs) are

Florida State University System

, there are neither teaching fellows nor graduate student instructors, and "teaching assistant" is the only title used.

Tutorials

In

undergraduate students, often known as a tutorial. At the University of Cambridge, tutors are known as supervisors, and tutorials are supervisions. The equivalent of this kind of tutor in the United States

and the rest of Canada is known as a graduate teaching assistant or a graduate student instructor (GSI).

Undergraduate

UTAs or JTAs (Junior Teacher Assistants) usually serve as true assistants to a class; they typically have taken the course with which they are assisting, often with the same professor, and have performed well in it. This case is less common for GTAs, since many would have been undergraduates at other institutions. Unlike professors and GTAs, UTAs generally do not have a fixed salary but instead are paid by the hour, earn credit hours, or volunteer their time.

High school

The term teaching assistant is used in a school setting for students or adults that assist a teacher with one or more classes. The responsibilities, situations, and conditions of these individuals' involvement differ from those in higher education. A less formal position, a TA job in secondary education is generally determined by the supervising teacher. Common tasks include assisting students with their work, and taking attendance. Most of the responsibilities of Teaching Assistants do not require the academic expertise of the professor in charge. Some teaching assistants at this level may teach portions of the class lessons, or teach lessons to small groups of students who need extra instruction. Many TAs work "one-on-one" with special needs students; these TAs shadow their student and assist with classwork, organization, and behavior management. In some parts of the United States it is customary or even required that each classroom have one certified teacher and one or more co-teachers or teaching assistants.

Students attending high school and middle schools can take a course, usually an elective, and perform tasks such as grade and record scores on homework or tests. The teacher in this setting reviews the grading to assign partial credit on tests and uses discretion.

Elementary school

An

high school settings. They are sometimes referred to as paraprofessionals

("paras" for short) or teacher's aides. Elementary school teaching assistants are generally hired on a contract that lasts the entire academic year. Teaching assistants aide with multiple duties within schools and can be hired in special education as well.

References

^ Butler, D.D.; J.F. Laumer Jr.; M. Moore (1993). "A content analysis of pedagogical and policy information used in training graduate teaching assistants". Journal for Higher Education Management. 9 (1): 27–37.
^ Gray, P.L.; N. Buerkel-Rothfuss (1991). "Teaching assistant training: A view from the trenches". In J. D. Nyquist; R. D. Abbott; D. H. Wulff; J. Sprague (eds.). Preparing the professorate of tomorrow to teach. Dubuque, Iowa: Kendall/Hunt. pp. 40–51.
^ Park, C. (2004). The graduate teaching assistant: Lessons from a North American experience. Teaching in Higher Education, 9 (3). 349–361

External links

[1] Butler, D.D.; J.F. Laumer Jr.; M. Moore (1993). "A content analysis of pedagogical and policy information used in training graduate teaching assistants". Journal for Higher Education Management. 9 (1): 27–37.

[2] Gray, P.L.; N. Buerkel-Rothfuss (1991). "Teaching assistant training: A view from the trenches". In J. D. Nyquist; R. D. Abbott; D. H. Wulff; J. Sprague (eds.). Preparing the professorate of tomorrow to teach. Dubuque, Iowa: Kendall/Hunt. pp. 40–51.

[Park-3] Park, C. (2004). The graduate teaching assistant: Lessons from a North American experience. Teaching in Higher Education, 9 (3). 349–361

[1]

[2]

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