Working in a public school setting as a teaching assistant, you will work closely with children, sometimes one-on-one, to help support learning. You will have the opportunity to have positive interactions with children, and assist classroom teachers as they carry out learning experiences during the school day.

1. Experienced faculty members, with classroom teaching experience, who provide extensive support in achieving learning goals.
2. An excellent, affordable start, which helps prepare students either to begin as a teaching assistant, or to progress through the teaching assistant levels, for those who are already working.
3. All courses required in this program can be applied to our Jointly Registered Teacher Education Program (JRTEP) or Liberal Arts program for those who wish to continue their teacher training and become certified classroom teachers.

Students will:

• communicate effectively both in oral and written formats
• articulate a beginning philosophy of education, and demonstrate an awareness of the role of diversity in education
• exhibit a beginning understanding of child development
• demonstrate foundational knowledge of and an appreciation for the cultural, social, and natural worlds

This is a college certificate, not NYS certification.  In order to become a Teaching Assistant in New York, there are several requirements that must be met, including successfully completing the Assessment of Teaching Assistant Skills (ATAS) examination.

When you are looking to advance through the tiers as a Teaching Assistant in New York, you can use the credits you earn at SUNY Orange to help you.

In this program, we offer various options for specialization, depending on the age of the students you hope to work with.

Even though there are no college level math requirements in this program, students whose placement test results place them into a developmental math class(es) must take those developmental course(s) in order to graduate.

All credits in this program transfer directly into the JRTEP and Liberal Arts AA and AS programs, should you decide to pursue an associate’s degree.

Admission to this program requires that students be high school graduates or have high school equivalency diplomas (HSEs). If students are home schooled, they may be eligible for admission.

All of the courses in the Teaching Assistant Certificate are applicable toward an Associate in Arts and Associate in Sciences degree AND the Jointly Registered Teacher Education Program.

Entry-level teaching assistant or paraprofessional career opportunities exist in:

• birth to second grade
• first to sixth grade
• seventh to twelfth grade

Explore careers with Career Coach

This program is registered by New York State to be offered via distance learning formats. 

Option 1: Approximately18/25 credits can be taken online. EDU 103 must be taken at the Middletown campus.

Option 2: Approximately 15/25 credits can be taken online. EDU 103, EDU 201 and MAT 111 must be taken at the Middletown campus.

Option 3: Approximately 18/25 credits can be taken online. EDU 103 and MAT 111 must be taken at the Middletown campus.

Option 4: Approximately 18/25 credits can be taken online.