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Important Career Information
Public school teachers must be licensed, which typically requires a bachelor's degree and the completion of an approved teacher education program; private school teachers do not have to be licensed but may still need a bachelor's degree.
Many States offer alternative licensing programs to attract people into teaching, especially for hard-to-fill positions.
Teachers must have the ability to communicate, inspire trust and confidence, and motivate students, as well as understand students' educational and emotional needs.
Job prospects are best for teachers in high-demand fields, such as mathematics, science, and bilingual education, and in less desirable urban or rural school districts.
Salary: How Much Do Teachers Make?
Median annual pay of kindergarten, elementary, middle, and secondary school teachers ranged from $47,100 to $51,180 in May 2008; the lowest 10 percent were paid $30,970 to $34,280; the top 10 percent were paid $75,190 to $80,970.
According to the American Federation of Teachers, beginning teachers with a bachelor's degree were paid an average of $33,227 in the 2005-2006 school year.
In 2008, of the majority of all elementary, middle, and secondary school teachers belonged to unions-mainly the American Federation of Teachers and the National Education Association-that bargain with school systems over salaries, hours, and other terms and conditions of employment.
Teachers can boost their pay in a number of ways. In some schools, teachers receive extra pay for coaching sports and working with students in extracurricular activities. Getting a master's degree or national certification often results in a raise in pay, as does acting as a mentor. Some teachers earn extra income during the summer by teaching summer school or performing other jobs in the school system. Although private school teachers generally earn less than public school teachers, they may be given other benefits, such as free or subsidized housing
What does a Teacher do? Teacher Jobs, Job Description, and Responsibilities
Preschool and kindergarten children learn mainly through play and interactive activities. A preschool teacher capitalizes on children's play to further language and vocabulary development (using storytelling, rhyming games, and acting games), improve social skills (having the children work together to build a neighborhood in a sandbox), and introduce scientific and mathematical concepts (showing the children how to balance and count blocks when building a bridge or how to mix colors when painting). Play and hands-on teaching are used by a kindergarten teacher. Letter recognition, phonics, numbers, and awareness of nature and science, introduced at the preschool level, are taught primarily in kindergarten. An elementary school teacher instructs one class of children in several subjects.
Teachers often work with students from varied ethnic, racial, and religious backgrounds. With growing minority populations in most parts of the country, it is important for teachers to work effectively with a diverse student population. A teacher designs classroom presentations to meet students' needs and abilities, and work with students individually.
In addition to conducting classroom activities, a teacher oversees study halls and homerooms, supervises extracurricular activities, and accompanies students on field trips. A teacher may identify students with physical or mental problems and refer the students to the proper authorities.
Job Working Conditions for Teachers
Seeing students develop new skills and gain an appreciation of knowledge and learning can be very rewarding. However, a teacher may be frustrating when dealing with unmotivated or disrespectful students. Teachers may experience stress in dealing with large classes, heavy workloads, or old schools that are run down and lack many modern amenities.
A private school teacher generally enjoys smaller class sizes and more control over establishing the curriculum and setting standards for performance and discipline. Private school students also tend to be more motivated, since private schools can be selective in their admissions processes.
Although some school districts have gone to all-day kindergartens, most kindergarten teachers still teach two kindergarten classes a day. A preschool teacher working in a day care setting often works year round.
Teacher Training, College Programs, and Advancement
All 50 States and the District of Columbia require public school teachers to be licensed. Licensure is not required for teachers in private schools in most States. Usually licensure is granted by the State Board of Education or a licensure advisory committee. Teachers may be licensed to teach the early childhood grades (usually preschool through grade 3); the elementary grades (grades 1 through 6 or 8); the middle grades (grades 5 through 8); a secondary-education subject area (usually grades 7 through 12); or a special subject, such as reading or music (usually grades kindergarten through 12).
Requirements for regular licenses to teach kindergarten through grade 12 vary by State. However, all States require general education teachers to have a bachelor's degree and to have completed an approved teacher training program with a prescribed number of subject and education credits, as well as supervised practice teaching.
Licensing requirements for preschool teachers also vary by State. Requirements for a public preschool teacher is generally more stringent than that for a private preschool teacher.
The National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education currently accredits teacher education programs across the United States. Graduation from an accredited program is not necessary to become a teacher, but it does make it easier to fulfill teacher licensure requirements.
In addition to being knowledgeable in their subject, a teacher must have the ability to communicate, inspire trust and confidence, and motivate students, as well as understand the students' educational and emotional needs. A teacher must be able to recognize and respond to individual and cultural differences in students and employ different teaching methods that will result in higher student achievement. A teacher should be organized, dependable, patient, and creative. A teacher also must be able to work cooperatively and communicate effectively with other teachers, support staff, parents, and members of the community.
Where are the Jobs? Teacher Jobs
In 2004, .there were 431,000 preschool teachers, and 171,000 are kindergarten teachers. The majority work in local government educational services. About 10 percent work for private schools. Preschool teachers, except special education, are most often employed in child daycare services (61 percent), religious organizations (12 percent), local government educational services (9 percent), and private educational services (7 percent). Employment of teachers is geographically distributed much the same as the population.
Job Outlook and Job Opportunities for Teachers
Job prospects for teachers should be better in inner cities and rural areas than in suburban districts. Many inner cities—often characterized by overcrowded, ill-equipped schools and higher-than-average poverty rates—and rural areas—characterized by their remote location and relatively low salaries—have difficulty attracting and retaining enough teachers. The number of non-English-speaking students will continue to grow, creating demand for bilingual teachers and for those who teach English as a second language.
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Show me Facts for other Careers!
Job opportunities for teachers over the next 10 years will vary from good to excellent, depending on the locality, grade level, and subject taught. Most job openings will result from the need to replace the large number of teachers who are expected to retire over the 2004-14 period. Also, many beginning teachers decide to leave teaching after a year or two-especially those employed in poor, urban schools-creating additional job openings for teachers. Shortages of qualified teachers will likely continue, resulting in competition among some localities, with schools luring teachers from other States and districts with bonuses and higher pay.
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Because of a shortage of teachers in certain locations, and in anticipation of the loss of a number of teachers to retirement, many States have implemented policies that will encourage more students to become teachers. In addition, more teachers may be drawn from a reserve pool of career changers, substitute teachers, and teachers completing alternative certification programs.
Teachers act as facilitators or coaches, using interactive discussions and "hands-on" approaches to help students learn and apply concepts in subjects such as science, mathematics, or English. A teacher utilizes "props" or "manipulatives" to help children understand abstract concepts, solve problems, and develop critical thought processes. A teacher provides the tools and the environment for their students to develop these skills.
Job opportunities for teachers over the next 10 years will vary from good to excellent, depending on the locality, grade level, and subject taught. Most job openings will result from the need to replace the large number of teachers who are expected to retire over the 2004-14 period. Also, many beginning teachers decide to leave teaching after a year or two-especially those employed in poor, urban schools-creating additional job openings for teachers. Shortages of qualified teachers will likely continue, resulting in competition among some localities, with schools luring teachers from other States and districts with bonuses and higher pay.
