The primary role of a teacher is to instruct students in a school; they teach various subjects, such as science, math, English, and foreign languages. In addition to teaching, they also have administrative duties. Many teachers also get involved in student extracurricular activities.
Education and Qualifications
Most teachers have a bachelor’s degree in the subject area. Though not required, many teachers also complete a master’s degree in the subject or a master’s in education. Most states require a relevant license, certificate, and registration to work in public schools. For private schools, these may not be mandatory.
Responsibilities and a Day in the Life
Teachers work either in public or private schools. They mostly work regular school hours, 8 hours a day and 40 hours a week. But most teachers spend additional hours to fulfill their other administrative duties or extracurricular activities.
Though daily responsibilities could vary based on the school, subjects taught, and other roles, some of the common ones include the following:
- Planning and developing an age-appropriate course framework by adhering to educational best practices and guidelines.
- Preparing and delivering each individual lesson using various teaching techniques to ensure that students understand the material.
- Defining class/lab rules and safety regulations and ensuring all students understand and adhere to them.
- Assessing individual students’ abilities, strengths, and weaknesses
- Providing additional support to students through office hours, one-on-one coaching, etc., when needed
- Preparing students for tests, exams, experiments, and other standardized tests/assessments.
- Administering tests per school, school district, and state policies.
- Grading tests and providing feedback and reports to students and parents.
- Supervising students in class, during events, and on field trips.
- Attending parent-teacher meetings to provide feedback and helpful recommendations.
- Monitoring students’ progress throughout the year and prepare them for graduation.
- Documenting required details in student files, attendance and incident reports, etc.
- Monitoring students’ overall well-being and referring them to school counselors and other staff members when required.
- Participating in faculty/staff meetings to improve overall school performance
- Attending educational conferences, lectures, workshops, and other training seminars to maintain knowledge of research, developments, and best practices in education.
- Sponsoring student activities or organizations as required.
Other Necessary Skills
- Creative analytical and problem-solving skills.
- Excellent time management and organizational skills.
- Excellent planning and attention to detail.
- Resilience and a positive attitude.
- Excellent interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills.
- Ability to build professional relationships with adolescents and establish rapports.
- Strong leadership skills to manage the classroom.
Salary
Salary could vary based on the state, location, school type, etc. According to BLS, the median salary is about $62K. In the private school system, this could vary significantly.
Job Growth
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were about…
- 1058K teachers in 2021
- The job outlook from 2021 to 2031 is 5% which is at par with the average job growth.
- Employment change 49K (2021 to 31)
Summary
Teaching is frequently ranked as one of the most rewarding professions. Teachers make a difference in the community by being role models for their students while helping them to learn and grow. If you like being surrounded by kids and teenagers, helping them through school life, and laying the foundation for their futures, then you should consider this career.
