Teachers - Preschool, Kindergarten, Elementary, Middle and Secondary

Industry Basics:

Teachers are an important part of the education system. The quality of teachers at the pre-school, kindergarten, elementary and secondary level has a major impact on the growth and career orientation of an individual. Teachers at this level of education are instrumental in stimulating educational growth, development and thinking abilities in students before they progress to higher education or professional education. Teachers account for the majority of occupations among professional occupations in the total educational service industry.

Pre-school, kindergarten and elementary school teachers usually manage only one class and introduce a variety of subjects at a very basic level. Education at this level is accompanied with games, music and other educational tools. Middle and secondary school teachers provide education on specific subjects such as Mathematics, Science, Computers, etc. This level of education expects the teacher to have in depth knowledge on the subject.

Industry Outlook:

Elementary school teachers comprise of a larger proportion (11%) as compared to teachers employed in kindergarten, middle and secondary school of the total workforce employed in educational services. Projected percentage change by 2014 indicates the following:

The percentage change indicates the rise in number of jobs by 2014 as compared to the current jobs in the respective level of education.

Designation and Roles in this Industry:

Teachers teach at the following levels of education and assume the requisite roles:

• Pre-School
• Kindergarten
• Elementary
• Middle School
• Secondary School

Skill or Education Required:

Kindergarten, Elementary and Secondary School Teachers: Bachelor’s degree, certified teacher training, supervised practice in teaching and specific number of subjects and education credits. All states also require the teacher to be licensed, though requirements with regard to the license may vary. With experience the teachers can ascend the teaching ladder to administrative posts.

Private elementary, middle and secondary schools may not require licensing standards but a bachelors degree in the subject is a must for all schools. Elementary school teachers must have a bachelor’s degree in childhood education.

Remuneration:

The median values of earnings for specific designations are as follows:

Note: A median value is a statistical reference for the middle value of the total values such that there are equal numbers of values above and below this value.

Conclusion:

A Bachelor’s degree is the basic qualification to be a teacher at any level in the education system.
Experience and higher qualifications such as master’s or doctoral degrees can advance career prospects