HAY RIVER - Barb Low is in her 11th year as a classroom assistant, and loves the work.

"I find it very gratifying," she said.

Low is a classroom assistant at Princess Alexandra school in Hay River.

She explained that classroom assistants normally work with one grade level. This year, she is working with three classes of Grade 4s.

The role of a classroom assistant is hard to describe, since it changes from year to year, Low noted. "We do so many things."

She works half time as a classroom assistant, while the rest of her time is spent as an assistant in the school's Slavey class.

As a classroom assistant, she can either work one-on-one with a student in need of help in a particular subject, or with a larger group.

Sometimes she works in a class with a teacher, but more often works in a separate room with one to 17 students.

"It depends on what the teacher requires," she said.

The work is very similar to being a teacher, Low said. "Our goals are the same, but you're working under the direction of a teacher."

For example, she explained that Grade 4s are currently learning about medieval history, and some students are having more trouble with the subject than others.

"I'll work at a different pace with them doing the same thing," she said.

Similarly, some students may read at a different level than their classmates, and she will work with them with the goal of getting them to the level of the class.

Besides her work in class, Low helps with a variety of things - photocopying, correcting, research, hallway and playground supervision, and extracurricular activities.

She is even responsible for updating displays in the glass case at the entrance of the school.

Low said not everyone would like working with children, who can be boisterous at times

But she treasures what she called the "a-ha moments" when she sees a student understand what she is teaching.

"There's no reward better than that," she said. "That keeps me here. I really, really love working with children more than anything else I do."

Low noted classroom assistants have various backgrounds to make them suited for the role, without having the education degrees that teachers have.

She added classroom assistants also have professional development to keep them up to par with the curriculum.

The University of Calgary also offers an online program leading to a certificate as a classroom assistant.

Low had Grade 12, some college courses, taught Sunday school and worked on children's programming at the public library in Hay River when she was hired as a classroom assistant.

"I've always had some experience with children, as well as raising three," she said.

Schools judge each person's suitability to become a classroom assistant on an individual basis.