Looking for a career change? Life as a Teacher Aide can be enormously fulfilling, working hand in hand with classroom teachers to help achieve learning outcomes for students of all ages and abilities. So where should you get started? Read on to learn more about the day-do-day tasks of Teacher Aides, how much you can expect to earn, how to apply, and more.
What Does a Teacher Aide Do?
So, what does an Educational Assistant, SSO, SLSO or Teacher Aide do? Like any role in education, the duties of a Teacher Aide will vary depending on the school and classroom you find yourself in. Here are some of the typical tasks you can expect to perform as a Teacher Aide.
- Help teachers with curriculum and lesson planning
- Help teachers set up the classroom and prepare for class
- Support students either individually or in groups to understand and perform the requirements of lessons
- Present lessons and subject material to students
- Build relationships with students, parents, and the wider school community
- Communicate with diverse groups of students with varying skill levels
- Supervise students in and outside of the classroom including during lunch and on excursions
How to Become a Teacher Aide
Wondering how to become an SSO, SLSO, or Education Assistant? Here’s a general guide to what you need to do to become a Teacher Aide.
Gain a qualification
While officially no tertiary qualifications are needed to be a Teacher Aide, many education departments and schools prefer Teacher Aides to have some sort of relevant qualification. Many Teachers Aide job posts request that applicants hold a Certificate in School-Based Education Support, like this one offered by Tafe NSW.
Top Up your Professional Development
To help yourself stand out from the competition, it can be helpful to be able to demonstrate that you have undertaken additional learning such as professional development courses for Teacher Aides.
Get the Required Certificates
All hopeful teacher Aides must attain the required clearances and certificates. While this differs by state and by school, most Teacher Aides will need to get a WWCC (Working with Children’s Check) and First Aid certificate.
Once you’ve satisfied these requirements, you’re ready to start your job search.
How Much Does a Teacher’s Aide Earn?
Pay rates for SSOs and SLSOs can vary depending on factors like your location, your experience and qualifications, as well as whether you work at a public or private school. Here is an overview of teacher aide wages for public schools across Australia.
QLD
Teacher Aide wages in QLD public schools are based on experience, ranging from $36.74 – $54.05 per hour for casuals. Full-time Teacher Aides can expect to earn between $59,231 – $87,146 per year. For more information see the Education Queensland pay chart.
NSW
In NSW, the casual pay rate for SLSOs working at Department of Education schools ranges from $39.96 – $46.42 per hour based on experience. This means that the weekly full-time teacher aide salary in NSW is around $1,404 before tax. For more information see the Department of Education website.
VIC
The Teacher Aide Salary in VIC ranges from $50,605 – $151,987 per year based on experience. Casual Teacher Aides at Victorian public schools can earn between $34.21 – $88.89 per hour. For more information see the Education Victoria salary guide.
NT
In the Northern Territory, full-time Teacher Aides or Assistant Teachers can expect to earn between $56,455-$78,511 per year. For more information see the Northern Territory Government website.
WA
In Western Australia public schools, a casual Teacher Aide or Education Assistant can expect to earn between $30.32-$39.28 per hour. For more information see the Western Australia Department of Education website.
TAS
In Tasmania, Teacher Aides can expect to earn between $33.78-$3636 per hour. For SLSOs and SSOs working full-time, salaries range from $64,832-$69,764. These numbers are correct for public schools in Tasmania. For more information see the salary scale from the Tasmania Department of Education.
ACT
In the ACT and Canberra, the salary for Teacher Aides is based on experience and qualifications. A full-time Level 4 School Assistant working in a public school can expect to earn between $75,070 – $81,011 per year plus superannuation. For more information see the Education ACT website.
SA
The SSO pay rate in South Australia is based on experience, ranging from $28.12 – $67.05 per hour. For full-time SSOs, the annual salary ranges from $55,010 – $131,159. See the South Australia Department of Education salary guide for more information.
Resume tips for Teacher Aides
Here are some things to include on your Teacher Aide resume to give yourself the best chance of landing an interview.
Your contact details
This may sound like a no brainer, but having the correct contact details clearly displayed on your resume can mean the difference between getting the job of your dreams or being left hanging. At a minimum, it’s a good idea to include your phone number and email address. If you really want to stand out, include a link to your ClassCover Portfolio.
Availability
If you don’t have full availability or are applying for a part-time position, it’s a good idea to include your availability on your Teacher Aide resume. This will make things as easy as possible for the person doing the hiring and give you the best chance of getting a callback.
Work history
Make sure you include a summary of your recent and relevant work experience. No, those 6 months you spend scooping ice cream in high school probably don’t need to be on your teacher resume, but any experience that relates to the role you are applying for should be.
Qualifications and PD courses
To help you stand out from other candidates, include any relevant qualifications or PD courses you have completed that would help you in the role.
Download our Teacher Aide Resume template
Cover Letter Tips for Teacher Aides
Applying for Teacher Aide jobs and wondering what you should include in your cover letter? Here are our tips.
Introduction
A good starting point to your Teacher Aide cover letter is a brief introduction. Use the first few sentences to introduce yourself and your background in the context of the role you are applying for. It’s best to keep this part short and sweet, so skip any unnecessary details and keep it related to the role.
Why you want the job
A common trap many educators fall into when writing a cover letter is wasting space by repeating information that’s on their resume. Because you have limited space for your cover letter (1 page is a good length) use the space to tell the hirer a story that’s not on your resume, beginning with why you want the job, and why you would be the best person for the role.
How your experience relates to the role
Once you’ve grabbed the attention of the reader with your intro, it’s time to get into the details. Referring to the job ad, break down each of the main qualifications and duties listed for the Teacher Aide job with a brief summary about your experience and how it relates to each point. If there are too many points on the job ad, it’s a good idea to group them into similar sections to ensure your cover letter isn’t too long.
Search Teacher Aide Jobs on ClassCover Jobs
Ready to start applying for Teacher Aide Jobs? ClassCover Learn is an online job platform just for educators, with fresh new education roles posted every day, right around Australia. If you’re already a ClassCover member, you can even sign up for job alerts so you’ll be the first to hear about jobs that you want.