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What does a kindergarten paraprofessional do?

Updated January 8, 2025
7 min read
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Kindergarten paraprofessional responsibilities

Here are examples of responsibilities from real kindergarten paraprofessional resumes:

  • Work with ESL and special needs students, individually and in small groups, to attain their learning objectives
  • Work with students in classroom with their math, guide reading and writing skills.
  • Work with children individually as well as in small groups (math and reading).
  • Appoint to administer individual IEP testing on special education students.
  • Provide educational support instruction, lesson plan development, implementation, recordkeeping and assessments.
  • Assist students with wheelchairs and walkers to and from class.
  • Job duties range from filling teaching positions to supplementing regular classroom curriculum with additional enrichment activities for students.

Kindergarten paraprofessional skills and personality traits

We calculated that 19% of Kindergarten Paraprofessionals are proficient in Math, Mathematics, and Instructional Materials. They’re also known for soft skills such as Communication skills, Interpersonal skills, and Patience.

We break down the percentage of Kindergarten Paraprofessionals that have these skills listed on their resume here:

  • Math, 19%

    Worked with children individually as well as in small groups (math and reading).

  • Mathematics, 19%

    Facilitated grades 1-5 English, mathematics, and physical education classes when teacher is absent.

  • Instructional Materials, 14%

    Typed material and operated duplicating equipment to replace instructional material.

  • Classroom Management, 12%

    Assisted the Kindergarten teacher in classroom management, lesson planning and implementing lessons

  • Behavior Management, 12%

    Adhere to and carry out teacher's behavior management system.

  • Bulletin Boards, 11%

    Helped with bulletin boards and different activities for the students.

Common skills that a kindergarten paraprofessional uses to do their job include "math," "mathematics," and "instructional materials." You can find details on the most important kindergarten paraprofessional responsibilities below.

Communication skills. To carry out their duties, the most important skill for a kindergarten paraprofessional to have is communication skills. Their role and responsibilities require that "teacher assistants need to be clear and concise in discussing student progress with teachers and parents." Kindergarten paraprofessionals often use communication skills in their day-to-day job, as shown by this real resume: "help special education teacher with monthly newsletters, education plans, parent communication and administrative tasks. "

Interpersonal skills. Another essential skill to perform kindergarten paraprofessional duties is interpersonal skills. Kindergarten paraprofessionals responsibilities require that "teacher assistants must be able to develop relationships with a variety of people, including teachers, students, parents, and administrators." Kindergarten paraprofessionals also use interpersonal skills in their role according to a real resume snippet: "have assisted these students with interpersonal/discipline challenges within the general education classroom setting. "

Patience. Another skill that relates to the job responsibilities of kindergarten paraprofessionals is patience. This skill is critical to many everyday kindergarten paraprofessional duties, as "working with students of different abilities and backgrounds may be difficult." This example from a resume shows how this skill is used: "modeled patience and a positive attitude to establish an encouraging learning environment. "

Resourcefulness. A big part of what kindergarten paraprofessionals do relies on "resourcefulness." You can see how essential it is to kindergarten paraprofessional responsibilities because "teacher assistants must find ways to explain information to students who have different learning styles." Here's an example of how this skill is used from a resume that represents typical kindergarten paraprofessional tasks: "showed resourcefulness and effectiveness in meeting the needs of students with limited english language proficiency as well as learning disabilities. "

Most common kindergarten paraprofessional skills

Choose from 10+ customizable kindergarten paraprofessional resume templates

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Kindergarten Paraprofessional Resume
Kindergarten Paraprofessional Resume
Kindergarten Paraprofessional Resume
Kindergarten Paraprofessional Resume
Kindergarten Paraprofessional Resume
Kindergarten Paraprofessional Resume
Kindergarten Paraprofessional Resume
Kindergarten Paraprofessional Resume
Kindergarten Paraprofessional Resume
Kindergarten Paraprofessional Resume
Kindergarten Paraprofessional Resume
Kindergarten Paraprofessional Resume
Kindergarten Paraprofessional Resume
Kindergarten Paraprofessional Resume
Kindergarten Paraprofessional Resume
Kindergarten Paraprofessional Resume

Compare different kindergarten paraprofessionals

Kindergarten paraprofessional vs. Teacher

Being a teacher is one of the most passionate professions, among others. Teachers educate, motivate, and guide every generation of learners to prepare them for the real world. Every teacher is unique and has their own teaching styles and methods depending on the subject they teach and the age of their students. Oftentimes they also function as a parent, counselor, coach, friend, and even a lawmaker. There is essentially no limit to the roles a teacher portrays.

If we compare the average kindergarten paraprofessional annual salary with that of a teacher, we find that teachers typically earn a $18,769 higher salary than kindergarten paraprofessionals make annually.While their salaries may differ, the common ground between kindergarten paraprofessionals and teachers are a few of the skills required in each roleacirc;euro;trade;s responsibilities. In both careers, employee duties involve skills like math, mathematics, and instructional materials.

There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, kindergarten paraprofessional responsibilities require skills like "behavior management," "bulletin boards," "pre-kindergarten," and "art projects." Meanwhile a typical teacher has skills in areas such as "handle scheduling," "kids," "cpr," and "curriculum development." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.

Teachers earn the highest salaries when working in the education industry, with an average yearly salary of $49,700. On the other hand, kindergarten paraprofessionals are paid more in the education industry with an average salary of $29,050.The education levels that teachers earn slightly differ from kindergarten paraprofessionals. In particular, teachers are 6.2% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than a kindergarten paraprofessional. Additionally, they're 1.0% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Kindergarten paraprofessional vs. Elementary school teacher

Elementary school teachers are trained to provide education to children from kindergarten through fifth grade. The teachers are responsible for children's emotional and educational growth in the classroom. They manage the resources and materials to be used for their education. It is part of their duties to evaluate the students' performance, social development, physical health, and behavior. Also, they adapt to teaching methods and instructions to meet the interests and needs of the children.

Elementary school teacher positions earn higher pay than kindergarten paraprofessional roles. They earn a $22,941 higher salary than kindergarten paraprofessionals per year.Only some things about these jobs are the same. Take their skills, for example. Kindergarten paraprofessionals and elementary school teachers both require similar skills like "math," "mathematics," and "instructional materials" to carry out their responsibilities.

In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, kindergarten paraprofessional responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "behavior management," "bulletin boards," "pre-kindergarten," and "art projects." Meanwhile, an elementary school teacher has duties that require skills in areas such as "professional development," "social studies," "classroom environment," and "student achievement." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.

On average, elementary school teachers earn a higher salary than kindergarten paraprofessionals. Some industries support higher salaries in each profession. Interestingly enough, elementary school teachers earn the most pay in the government industry with an average salary of $56,048. Whereas kindergarten paraprofessionals have higher pay in the education industry, with an average salary of $29,050.In general, elementary school teachers achieve higher levels of education than kindergarten paraprofessionals. They're 9.6% more likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 1.0% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Kindergarten paraprofessional vs. Substitute teachers aide

A substitute teacher's aide assists classroom teachers in executing their tasks such as evaluating the progress and needs of students. Substitute teachers' aides ensure education's progress by providing assistance to lead classroom teachers. To work effectively, they apply dynamic strategic planning, project management skills, and prioritization to meet deadlines. They work in paraprofessional positions providing the behavior and academic needs of the students. Also, they are always there to help students in any way possible.

An average substitute teachers aide eans a lower salary compared to the average salary of kindergarten paraprofessionals. The difference in salaries amounts to substitute teachers aides earning a $1,732 lower average salary than kindergarten paraprofessionals.kindergarten paraprofessionals and substitute teachers aides both have job responsibilities that require similar skill sets. These similarities include skills such as "mathematics," "instructional materials," and "classroom management," but they differ when it comes to other required skills.

The required skills of the two careers differ considerably. For example, kindergarten paraprofessionals are more likely to have skills like "math," "behavior management," "pre-kindergarten," and "art projects." But a substitute teachers aide is more likely to have skills like "cpr," "k-12," "classroom environment," and "teacher aides."

Substitute teachers aides earn the highest salary when working in the education industry, where they receive an average salary of $27,274. Comparatively, kindergarten paraprofessionals have the highest earning potential in the education industry, with an average salary of $29,050.Most substitute teachers aides achieve a similar degree level compared to kindergarten paraprofessionals. For example, they're 3.0% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.3% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Kindergarten paraprofessional vs. Classroom aide

Classroom aides or teacher's aides are found in special education centers and schools. Some of their many roles include supervising field trips, attendance checking, and preparing classroom materials. They help the teachers by assisting students who need extra attention to keep up with the lessons. Being very patient and proficient in ASL are skills that all of them need to have, especially when working with students in the special education spectrum. They should be very critical to detail to accurately track the progress of the student under their supervision and discuss them with the teachers and parents.

Classroom aides tend to earn a lower pay than kindergarten paraprofessionals by an average of $388 per year.According to resumes from kindergarten paraprofessionals and classroom aides, some of the skills necessary to complete the responsibilities of each role are similar. These skills include "mathematics," "instructional materials," and "classroom management. "

Even though a few skill sets overlap between kindergarten paraprofessionals and classroom aides, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, a kindergarten paraprofessional might have more use for skills like "math," "student learning," "pre-kindergarten," and "administrative tasks." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of classroom aides require skills like "autism," "cpr," "classroom environment," and "developmental disabilities. "

Classroom aides enjoy the best pay in the education industry, with an average salary of $28,909. For comparison, kindergarten paraprofessionals earn the highest salary in the education industry.The average resume of classroom aides showed that they earn similar levels of education compared to kindergarten paraprofessionals. So much so that theyacirc;euro;trade;re 2.1% less likely to earn a Master's Degree and more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree by 0.4%.

Types of kindergarten paraprofessional

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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