Salary Survey for
Teaching Assistants
Paul Johnson
1 October 2000
________________________________________________________________
From: Paul Johnson <pjohnson@ISA.NL>
To: head-net@tc.umn.edu
Subject: Teacher Assistants / Teacher Aides
Date: Mon, Jan 10, 2000, 10:59 AM
Happy New Year/Century/Millennium!
I have a question about salary packages for Teacher Assistants/Aides:
How does their salary relate to teacher salaries (e.g. %)? 33%
How do their benefits compare with teachers (insurances, professional
development opportunities, etc.)? No benefits, 10 sick days
Do you have a job description which you are willing to share via fax
(31-20-347-1222) or email?
Teaching Assistants Job Description
Hours
8:10- 3:50 The early morning time is particularly important as often
preparation needs to be done and discussions about the day s work can be
held.
Assistants should take a thirty minute break in the morning and afternoon.
These breaks may be taken before or after duty times, depending on the
teachers schedules and needs. The breaks are either the scheduled recess
times, or a half hour before or after if the assistant has duty. All
arrangement to do with break times should be discussed and worked out with
the teachers. All other times when the class is out of the classroom are
considered work and preparation times. Tuesdays are early dismissal days
for the children, but assistants are expected to work until 3:40. If an
assistant rides the school bus and cannot stay, an hours worth of
preparation could be taken home in lieu.
Responsibilities
Assisting the teacher with:
-regular lessons and activities
-individual reading with children
-setting/clearing up and supervising small group activities (ie, science
exp., art )
-individual make-up work with children
-correcting work that has been assigned by the teacher
-classroom organization
-putting up and taking down displays
-mounting children s work
-taking and collecting children from special lessons
-helping children to get on the school buses
-administering basic first aid
-daily playground duty
-class supervision when teacher is not in the room
-assisting with preparation for performances (including props and costumes)
Not Responsibilities
-discussing children s progress and behavior with parents
-class discipline
-classroom management
-planning
-liaisons with room mothers
-monitoring of children s progress
-teaching new concepts
Exceptions
Occasionally the school will need the help of assistants in other
capacities, such as covering for another teacher in an emergency, playground
supervision substitution on one of the playgrounds, assisting in the library
etc. Assistants will be compensated if they take over the role of a
teacher. The compensation will be the difference between the assistant s
salary and that of a substitute teacher.
Problems
If problems arise between the teacher and assistant, the Primary Principal
will act as intermediary. Assistants should be professional in their
approach to problems, and discuss them only with parties concerned.
Contract and Terms of Employment
-Assistants have a yearly contract. As there is a turnover of staff every
year, as well as variable class sizes, there is no guarantee of contract
renewal from year to year. Teachers have the right to choose and dismiss
their assistants.
-Assistants, like teachers, have ten paid sick days a year and two personal
days. Personal days may only be taken for business that has to take place
during school hours (ie, passport renewal, court appointment etc. not
sightseeing or non-urgent medical appointments). Personal days must be
approved ahead of time by the Primary Principal. The teacher is responsible
for keeping track of these days.
Payment will either be made on a ten or twelve month schedule. All
negotiations concerning payment and payment schedules should be made on an
individual basis with the business office.
Other
-All assistants are member of the IICS staff. They are represented by the
Faculty Advisory Committee which has a voting position on the Board of
Directors. All concerns about policy matters and problems that the Primary
Principal cannot address should be brought to the attention of one of the
committee members, once it has been discussed with the Primary Principal.
-Meetings will be held during the first week of each month at an agreed
time.
-Assistants will send one representative each month to the Full Faculty
meeting. This person will be responsible to report back to the other
assistants before the monthly meeting so that issues can be discussed and
explained when necessary.
-Assistants are invited to attend all faculty events, including carnivals,
parties, and other official school functions. There is no expectation that
the assistants must attend these events though.
-Occasionally there will be extra work that will need to be done at weekends
or after school, particularly before performances or at other high profile
times. Participation is voluntary and assistants will be paid $10 per hour
for time spent working outside of school hours. Assistants are responsible
for recording their extra hour in the Primary Principal s office in the
record book. Payments will only be made if the hours have been recorded.
-Assistants are welcome to offer extra curricular activities. Remuneration
is $30 per hour for a seven week cycle. In this situation the assistant is
responsible for the children in their activity. Activities on Tuesdays can
be offered as long as the extra hour of preparation time is made up after
the activity has finished.
-All communication for assistants will be sent to the wooden box outside the
classroom to which the assistant is assigned. It is the assistant s
responsibility to check the box regularly for notices.
-It is the assistant s responsibility to familiarize themselves with the
students emergency and medical files that the teachers keep. Teachers
should let assistants know where such files are kept.
-It is the assistant s responsibility to inform the teacher when s/he will
not be able to come to school. In addition, the Primary Principal should be
informed so substitutes can be arranged and for record keeping purposes.
>
>Thanks!
>
>Paul W. Johnson, Ed.D.
>IS
>