One of the hottest online education programs ProTrain currently offers is the Teacher’s Aide course. Known more formally as the Instructional Paraprofessional Certification Program, it will prepare you to take the Educational Testing Services ParaPro exam as well as other skills assessments exams that might be required by your state.
Also known as instructional paraprofessionals, or just parapros, teacher’s aides work alongside certified teachers in the classroom. Primary responsibilities include things like:
- Assisting teachers with classroom management.
- Working with small groups or individual students one-on-one.
- Helping prepare instructional materials.
- Assisting students with special needs.
- Supervising students during non-classroom activities.
Parapros are a common fixture in elementary and secondary schools. They might also work for childcare centers, religious organizations, and even employer-based childcare facilities. But regardless of the work environment, most states require the teacher’s aide to be properly trained and certified.
State Requirements Vary
Educational and certification requirements for teachers’ aides vary from one state to the next. As a general rule, the states require at least a high school diploma or equivalent. Some states require minimal college coursework or an associate’s degree.
Parapros hoping to work in Title I schools are required by most states to complete a minimum of two years of college or pass a state-approved assessment test. That’s where ProTrain comes in. Our Teacher’s Aide course prepares students to sit for their state exams.
More About the Course
As previously stated, our Instructional Paraprofessional Certification Program prepares students to take the Educational Testing Services ParaPro (ETSP) Exam. If your state requires a different exam for certification, no worries. Our program is comprehensive enough to prepare students for virtually any state-approved exam.
Within the program are five required courses along with three electives. All eight must be completed in order to finish the entire program. The courses are as follows:
- Paraprofessional training
- Child development
- Teaching math
- Teaching reading
- Teaching writing
- Learning styles in the classroom
- Multiple intelligences in the classroom
- Fundamentals of instructional design
Here at ProTrain, we don’t offer the ETSP exam directly through our online platform. Instead, students are required to find and register with a local testing center. Also note that each state has its own passing score for the exam. Be sure to check your state regulations before sitting for the exam.
Our course offers 208 hours of learning that is self-paced and accessed exclusively online. From the moment you are enrolled, you have 12 months of access to all learning materials. You complete each lesson on your schedule, as you have time.
Become the Best Teacher Aide
Finally, let us address the question of why you should utilize an online training course in preparation for taking a certification exam. While it is technically possible to sit most state exams without formal training, passing a state exam with no training is more difficult. That’s just the starting point.
A state exam simply cannot address all the information learned through an online certification course. By training with ProTrain, you will learn facts and skills that will set you up to become the best teacher aide you can be. And when you are the best you can be, your students and peers benefit.
We invite you to contact us to learn more about the ProTrain Teacher’s Aide course by sending a message to info@protrain.edu. If you would rather speak directly with a career counselor before making any decisions on certification training, feel free to call us on (844) 292-8641. We are standing by to answer all your questions regarding Teacher’s Aide training and certification.
