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What is a floater/assistant teacher and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
Quoted expert
Dr. Diana Jones
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A teacher assistant or floater supports a licensed teacher by giving students extra attention and instructions. Assistant teachers are also sometimes referred to as teacher's aides. Some of their duties include reinforcing lessons by tutoring small groups of students or individual students.

They create lesson plans while also devising and preparing for lessons. They monitor the students' improvement as well. As an assistant teacher, you can work in elementary schools, secondary schools, and child daycare services. You can also work on a part-time or full-time basis.

Before you are hired as a teacher assistant in a public school, you need no less than an associate's degree or a two-year degree. Some schools can ask for certifications in first aid or cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). At $27,920, the annual income an assistant teacher receives is decent. However, you can go on to become a teacher when you obtain advanced qualifications.

What general advice would you give to a floater/assistant teacher?

Dr. Diana JonesDr. Diana Jones LinkedIn profile

Chair, Department of Kinesiology, Anderson University

General advice: I would encourage graduates to find a mentor who can guide them in their careers, stay on top of the latest technology, not be too hard on themselves, be flexible, be team players, be present, and care about their students.
ScoreFloater/Assistant TeacherUS Average
Salary
2.3

Avg. Salary $29,269

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
4.5

Growth rate 4%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
9.4
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 1.36%

Asian 8.98%

Black or African American 11.01%

Hispanic or Latino 16.45%

Unknown 4.60%

White 57.60%

Gender

female 90.22%

male 9.78%

Age - 45
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 45
Stress level
4.5

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level
5.4

Complexity level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work life balance
10.0

Work life balance is excellent

6.4 - fair

Floater/assistant teacher career paths

Key steps to become a floater/assistant teacher

  1. Explore floater/assistant teacher education requirements

    Most common floater/assistant teacher degrees

    High School Diploma

    30.4 %

    Bachelor's

    29.3 %

    Associate

    24.1 %
  2. Start to develop specific floater/assistant teacher skills

    SkillsPercentages
    CPR21.81%
    Child Care17.61%
    Patients13.18%
    Learning Environment8.13%
    Child Development7.20%
  3. Research floater/assistant teacher duties and responsibilities

    • Attend training courses and maintains CPR certification.
    • Assist teachers in different classrooms when need in the morning til afternoon pre-k children come to school.
    • Help where need, CPR certify, first aid certify, universal precautions certify, and experience with all age groups.
    • Operate van safely when driving residents, adhering to reasonable cleanliness standards and notifying appropriate personnel of maintenance concerns.
  4. Prepare your floater/assistant teacher resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your floater/assistant teacher resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a floater/assistant teacher resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable floater/assistant teacher resume templates

    Build a professional floater/assistant teacher resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your floater/assistant teacher resume.
    Floater/Assistant Teacher Resume
    Floater/Assistant Teacher Resume
    Floater/Assistant Teacher Resume
    Floater/Assistant Teacher Resume
    Floater/Assistant Teacher Resume
    Floater/Assistant Teacher Resume
    Floater/Assistant Teacher Resume
    Floater/Assistant Teacher Resume
    Floater/Assistant Teacher Resume
  5. Apply for floater/assistant teacher jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a floater/assistant teacher job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first floater/assistant teacher job

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Average floater/assistant teacher salary

The average floater/assistant teacher salary in the United States is $29,269 per year or $14 per hour. Floater/assistant teacher salaries range between $22,000 and $38,000 per year.

Average floater/assistant teacher salary
$29,269 Yearly
$14.07 hourly

What am I worth?

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How do floater/assistant teachers rate their job?

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Floater/assistant teacher reviews

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A zippia user wrote a review on Nov 2022
Pros

Seeing the kids learn, grow, over come challenges.

Cons

It can be emotionally and physically draining, especially if not appreciated.


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A zippia user wrote a review on Jun 2022
Pros

Gaining the childs trust and watching them geow and learn.

Cons

That in a year the children you fall in love with move on to the next grade.


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A zippia user wrote a review on Mar 2022
Pros

Kids, teaching lessons, co-teachers, hours, weekends off, salary, holidays off, summers off, paid sick and personal days

Cons

Administration, observations, being told what to teach and HOW to teach it, expecting us to participate in things we might not want to or have the time for, staff meetings with no substance


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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