Teacher Education – Elementary

Work Tasks, Settings, Tools, and Materials:

ELEMENTARY TEACHERS play a vital role in the development of children. They introduce children to the basics of numbers, language, science, and social studies. They use games, music, artwork, films, slides, computers, and other teaching technology to teach basic skills. Elementary teachers take the time to model and instill good habits and a curiosity for learning.

Many classes are becoming less structured, with students working in groups to discuss and solve problems together. Preparing students for the future workforce is the major concern generating the changes in education. To be prepared, students must be able to interact with others, adapt to new technology, and logically think through problems. Elementary teachers provide the tools and environment for their students to develop these skills.

Elementary teachers may use films, slides, overhead projectors, and the latest technology in teaching, including computers, telecommunication systems, and videodiscs. Use of computer resources, such as educational software and the Internet, expose students to a vast range of experience and promotes interactive learning. Through the Internet, American students can communicate with students in other countries. Students also use the Internet for individual research projects and information gathering.

Elementary teachers design their classroom presentations to meet the needs and abilities of the students. They also work with students individually. Elementary teachers assign lessons, give tests, listen to oral presentations, and maintain classroom discipline. Teachers observe and evaluate students' performance and potential, increasingly using new assessment methods, such as examining a portfolio of a student's artwork or writing, to measure student achievement. They provide additional assistance in areas where it is needed.

Elementary teachers prepare lesson plans and tests, grade papers, prepare report cards, and oversee study halls and homerooms. They meet with parents, attend faculty meetings and conferences, and serve on faculty and community committees. Elementary teachers also supervise extracurricular activities. Teachers may take part in workshops or take college courses to stay up-to-date on teaching techniques and educational materials.

ELEMENTARY TEACHERS spend most of their time in the classrooms of public, private, or parochial school systems. They also oversee study halls and homerooms, supervise extracurricular activities, and accompany students on field trips. Teachers also participate in education conferences and workshops.

ELEMENTARY TEACHERS work with:

• individual students, small groups, classes, and organizations
• textbooks, workbooks, reference books, and various other books
• computers, telecommunication systems, video discs, and other up-to-date technology systems
• films, slides, overhead projectors, and various other audiovisual equipment and teaching aids
• tests, projects, and reports
• student attendance records, grades, and other student forms
• educational aids, such as plants, animals, and instructional games
• community service organizations
• professional committees

Related Civilian and Military Occupations

Resource Teachers teach basic academic subjects, such as reading and mathematics, to students requiring remedial work, using special help programs to improve scholastic level.

Other Related Occupations:

• Teacher, Elementary School
• Teacher, Preschool
• Teacher, Hearing Impaired
• Teacher, Physically Impaired
• Teacher, Visually Impaired
• Teacher, Emotionally Impaired
• Teacher, Mentally Impaired
• Teacher, Vocational Training
• Teacher, Learning Disabled
• Evaluator
• Children's Tutor
• Teacher, Home Therapy

There are no military occupations that are related to Teacher (Elementary).

Training, Related Majors and Advancement

All states require public school ELEMENTARY TEACHERS to be licensed. Licensure is not required for teachers in private schools. All states require a bachelor's degree and completion of an approved teacher training program with a prescribed number of subject and education credits, as well as supervised practice teaching. Some states also require technology training and the attainment of a minimum grade point average. A number of states require that teachers obtain a master''s degree in education within a specified period after they begin teaching. Since regulations vary from state to state, you may wish to contact the department of education in your state of interest for specific requirements.

The following majors could help you prepare for this occupation:

• American Literature (U.S. & Canada)
• Elementary Teacher Education
• English Language, Lit & Letters, Other
• English Lit (British & Commonwealth)
• English/Language Arts Teacher Educ
• Jr High/Middle School Teacher Educ
• Liberal Arts/Sciences/General Studies
• Science Teacher Education
• Teacher Education, General

With additional preparation, ELEMENTARY TEACHERS move into positions as school librarians, reading specialists, curriculum specialists, or guidance counselors. Some may become supervisors or administrators, although the number of these positions is limited and competition can be intense. In some school systems, well-qualified and experienced teachers can become senior or mentor teachers, with higher pay and additional responsibilities. They guide and assist less experienced teachers while keeping most of their teaching responsibilities.

Desirable Personal Qualities and Physical Demands of the Job

Helpful qualities for ELEMENTARY TEACHERS include:

• understanding of learning styles
• a strong knowledge base
• an ability to understand and work with children
• an ability to relate easily to children
• respect for education and an ability to pass this on to students
• good communication skills
• the ability to inspire trust and confidence
• an ability to motivate students as well as understand their educational and emotional needs
• patience and a sense of responsibility
• a sense of humor
• enthusiasm and creativity
• organizational skills
• emotional stability and maturity
• an ability to recognize and respond to individual differences in students

Many skills that are useful to a successful Teacher (Elementary) can be learned in school, such as:

ENGLISH SKILLS

• Explain multi-step activities or ideas to others, providing concise and well-organized thoughts.
• Arrange sentences and paragraphs in a logical and coherent order.
• Correct writing that is vague, wordy, or clumsy.
• Delete thoughts that are redundant or irrelevant in written information.
• Write well organized memos or short reports that clearly explain work tasks or results.

MATHEMATICS SKILLS

• Use percentages to compute discounts, rankings, portions, or other values.
• Use statistical formulas for summarizing data and understand the meaning of the results.
• Select the most appropriate type of graph to use to present data (e.g. bar graph, pie chart, etc.)
• Determine the probability of occurrence for several events.
• Plan the steps needed to solve multi-step numerical problems.
• Solve simple equations, including those that require decimals and fractions.
• Round numbers or find the absolute value of numbers.
• Understand the meaning of the slope of a straight line on a graph.

READING SKILLS

• Read and interpret reports, memos, or instruction manuals.
• Learn multi-step tasks or procedures by reading articles or short manuals.
• Locate important details found in articles or books.
• Identify cause-and-effect relationships based on several parts of a document.
• Draw conclusions about people, ideas, things, or tasks by reading memos, reports or other documents.

SCIENCE SKILLS

• Compare or combine data from different sources, such as simple graphs or tables.
• Understand the implications of complex data that you or others collect.
• Compare simple theories or models and decide which one best explains several sets of observed events.
• When using a simple model, decide if new data fits the model or indicates a problem.
• Estimate a value for an event that falls between the values provided on a graph or in a table.
• Predict how the results would change if a process for collecting data where changed.

The average WorkKeys skill levels needed for a Teacher (Elementary) are:

• READING FOR INFORMATION (level 4)
Read policies and procedures with several steps, apply instructions, and recognize cause-effect.

• APPLIED MATHEMATICS (level 3)
Perform simple one-step mathematical operations on whole numbers, simple fractions, decimals, or percentages.

• LISTENING (level 3)
Correctly write down most of the primary information from a message.

• WRITING (level 3)
Write messages using complete sentences that are easily understood and contain only a moderate number of mechanical errors.

• LOCATING INFORMATION (level 4)
Use straightforward graphics such as basic line graphs, tables, maps, and diagrams to find or compare several pieces of information.

• TEAMWORK (level 3)
Recognize positive behaviors needed to identify and support a clear team goal in a simple work situation.

• OBSERVATION (level 4)
Select and attend to important details of tasks with a small number of steps and ignore a few extra details.

Salary & Outlook - Estimated Salary:

• Economic Research Institute (survey of salaries in 2007):
National Kansas

Per year Per hour Per year Per hour
Starting salary $33,500 $16.00 $31,500 $15.00
Average salary $47,500 $23.00 $45,000 $21.75
Salary with experience $58,500 $28.00 $55,500 $26.75

National average for all occupations included in this survey: $45,000/year or $21.75/hour

• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (survey of salaries in 2006):

National Kansas
Per year Per hour Per year Per hour
Average salary $44,000 $21.25 $37,000 $17.75

National average for all occupations included in this survey: $36,500/year or $17.50/hour

• Other Information:

According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers, average salaries offered beginning TEACHERS (ELEMENTARY) with a master's degree in teacher education were $37.5000 a year ($18.00/hour) in 2006-07. Those in public school systems usually have higher earnings than do those in private schools. Also, teachers with national certification earn more. Most public school teachers belong to unions.

Estimated Outlook (from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics):

• Number of Workers (surveyed in 2006)*

National Kansas
Number in this category 2,057,490 26,640
Average size of occupational categories 50,000 2,000

*Teacher (Elementary) is included in the category: Elementary and Middle School Teachers

• Employment Outlook (economic projections made in 2004)*

Projected growth per year 1.68%
Average growth for all occupations 1.3%
Number of new jobs per year 34,600

This category is:

• Very Large (750,000 or larger)
• Expected to Grow Moderately (1.2% to 2.4% growth)

Employment growth will result from an increase in student enrollments. Excellent opportunities will be created by the need to replace the large number of expected retirements.

What Workers Say They Like and Dislike

Some ELEMENTARY TEACHERS may like:

• the freedom to choose their own teaching styles and methods
• the rewards from seeing students develop new skills
• working with children
• working 9-10 months a year
• the variety of their work
• work that is valuable for the future of society
• the chance to be creative

Some ELEMENTARY TEACHERS may dislike:

• teaching large classes
• heavy workloads
• standing for long hours
• dealing with unmotivated and disrespectful students
• the stress sometimes associated with working closely with students
• long hours outside the classroom grading papers, attending meetings, and preparing lesson plans
• coping with unruly behavior and violence in the schools
• isolation from their colleagues

Information taken from Discover!

Past Cool Career of the Month:

Speech Pathology

Athletic Trainer

Crime Lab Analyst

Photographer

Physicist

Radiologist

Sales Marketing Manager

Substance Abuse Counselor

Wildlife Biologist