Teaching assistants aid teachers in secondary and post-secondary schools by giving structural and administrative support when classroom teachers need it. Some teaching assistants can be graduate students who are learning the basic tasks of creating lesson programs and grading papers so that they can one day become licensed teachers. Skills in supervision, clerical and personal care are vital for teaching assistants to excel in this profession.

Administrative Skills
The teaching assistant needs administrative skills when handling test papers, stocking supplies and recording student attendance. Possessing typing and filing skills aids the teaching assistant in most tasks required by the faculty regarding clerical duties. Teaching assistants also copy lesson programs for teachers and testing materials for students, and must possess knowledge in working the appropriate equipment.

Personal Attention
Teaching assistants who work with special-education students require strong interpersonal skills and demeanor. A teaching assistant provides educational lessons for students with disabilities as well as helps them with other needs, such as feeding and teaching personal hygiene habits. A teaching assistant also helps young adults apply for community services when they are finished with their schooling.

Computer Skills
With students working in computer laboratories, teaching assistants need computer skills and knowledge of educational software applications to help the student with lesson programs. Having the proper computer knowledge allows the teaching assistant to show the student how to conduct research and take special lesson exams. The teaching assistant may also input student grades and pull up necessary report information at the teacher's request.

Supervision
Possessing leadership skills along with a calm, professional behavior helps the teaching assistant supervise children in the classroom as well as in other places on school grounds, such as inside cafeterias and out in schoolyards. Quick action must be taken by the teaching assistant in stopping any negative behavior that is inappropriate at school. These skills also aid teaching assistants in administering the teacher's lesson plans to the classroom.