Academic Assistant Job Description

Teaching is a pious profession and the academic assistants are also a part of this profession. The academic assistant responsibilities tell us the various duties assigned to academic or teaching assistants in a classroom and also in the premises.

Academic assistants find jobs in schools, colleges and universities where they assist the teachers and students in the classroom, labs and also in the extracurricular activities if required. Academic assistants also act as a source of information to the students. The main aim of hiring academic assistants is to enable the students to pursue their academic goals and also allow the instructors to carry out the instructional activities efficiently. On occasions when the teacher cannot make it to the institute, the academic assistant may have to deliver a lecture and maintain discipline in the classroom.

Academic assistants may have to juggle between different classrooms or they can be assigned a particular classroom depending on the total number of classrooms or number of students in a classroom. They also help the instructors in preparing and revising instructional material and also distributing the same to the students in the classroom.

Academic assistants perform several tasks on job and maintain a smooth flow of tasks and communication in a classroom. Academic assistant responsibilities can be categorized under the following heads:

Academic Assistant Responsibilities

• Preparation of instructional materials, test papers, scorecards, handout s and other material necessary for tutoring and evaluation of students
• Mark attendance of students and prepare weekly and monthly attendance reports of every student
• Observe the participation of students in individual and group activities
• Examine answer books, homework, assignments and performance of students in other activities

They also perform other responsibilities like the following:

• Inform the students about classroom schedule, upcoming tests and assignments, assessment results, extracurricular activities or any other events in the premises
• Answer queries of the students related to any subject
• Report any inappropriate behavior of student to the instructor
• Setup and operate audio visual equipments such as projector and assist the instructor in explaining the content of the audio visual instructional material to students if needed
• Help the physically disabled students in moving from classroom to institute premises
• Feed lunch to the physically or mentally challenged children during lunch hours
• Participate in the community service activities or any other activities aimed for the social betterment
• Resolve any conflicts between the students

Skills of an Academic Assistant

The following skills are a must have for an academic assistant:

• Leadership skills: You cannot manage a large group of students without effective leadership
• Patience and diplomacy: You need to be patient and diplomatic in order to manage situations of conflict and misbehavior
• Observance: You must be observant enough to keep an eye on the behavior and progress of students
• Technical skills: You have to be well versed with the different applications used in preparation of instructional materials and digital records related to students performance and classroom activities
• Communication skills: Timely and effective communication is the key to manage the daily chores in an educational institute
• Organizational and multitasking skills: Classroom activities, extracurricular activities, administrative tasks and other chores of this job demand individuals who can manage to schedule and perform their daily tasks promptly

Becoming an Academic Assistant

Graduates, under graduates and even high school diploma holders are eligible to become an academic assistant. Any degree in teaching can be helpful but is not a prerequisite.

Career Scope for an Academic Assistant

You may be either paid for an academic year or on an hourly basis depending on the institute you are employed at and also on your academic qualifications. Starting from $8 an hour, you can expect up to $13. Other institutes may offer $45,812 to $54,000 for an academic year.

Working in this position will help you to enhance your teaching skills. You can also work part time if you are pursuing education.

The academic assistant responsibilities we have shared above are for your reference. These may vary depending on your education, skills and also with the institute.