The Life of an Elementary School Teacher

A Look at the Job

Elementary teachers play a direct role in students' development into responsible adults. Teachers do this by giving students the skills they need to achieve specific classroom goals. Therefore, curriculum, designed by elementary school teachers, focuses on the areas of math, science, social studies and language arts in order to provide a strong foundation for the next level of students' education. Within class sessions, teachers emphasize essential lessons of social interaction and personal growth. For example, students are also taught how to work in groups, which is critical for their social development. Ultimately, elementary teachers must be fully aware that the skills taught within their classrooms will become the tools that students use to surmount later challenges, successes and failures.

The daily tasks of an elementary teacher, however, involve so much more than teaching. They must carefully design sound lesson plans, make time to give additional assistance to a struggling student, maintain discipline in the classroom and be willing to discuss students' coursework and progress with parents or other school staff. Elementary school teachers can also be called upon to supervise extracurricular activities, to participate in an education conference or workshop or to serve as a chaperone on a school field trip.

Most elementary teachers easily work more than a 40-hour week, especially including the many job requirements performed out of the classroom. The yearly schedule for most public schools is ten months in school, two months of summer vacation, a week off for fall and/or spring vacation and two weeks off for winter break. On a typical year-round schedule, students and teachers are in school for eight weeks and then off for one week, with a five-week mid-winter break. There are also professional development days where the teachers must meet to talk about school and personal development.

Skills, Educational Background and More

All elementary school teachers must have previously obtained a bachelor's degree from a teacher education program and be licensed or certified. Most 4-year programs require a student-teaching internship in which a student teaches a class at a local school for a designated number of hours each week. Many programs consider the student teaching experience an imperative requirement for future teachers, especially if he or she has no prior background in teaching.

All teachers must hold a teaching certificate in order to be employed. However, teachers can also return to school to receive additional licensure or certification in specific areas, such as leadership, reading pathology or special education. Each state sets up the requirements for teacher certification; however, most certification programs tend to require the following credentials: completion of a bachelor's degree, completion of an approved teacher training program including a specific number of credits and supervised practice teaching. Additional training in technology may also be required. In more recent years, many states have shifted their policies on teacher certification in order to include a new requirement, where teachers must obtain their master's degree within a specific time period after they begin teaching.

Along with these formal requirements, teachers must also possess the abilities to communicate, to inspire trust and confidence and to motivate students. Acknowledgement, support or acceptance of individual and cultural differences is also an important quality for teachers to have. Elementary teachers should be organized, able to maintain discipline, creative, patient and able to listen effectively. They must work well in groups with other teachers, with parents or with other school staff to improve student performance.

Average Annual Salary

The average earnings for elementary and secondary teachers in 2006 ranged from $43,580 to $48,690, as stated by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Teachers who obtain a master's or doctorate degree tend to have a higher salary; however, schools offer numerous other ways in which teachers can increase their salary. For example, teachers can coach a sports team, supervise an extracurricular activity or teach summer school.

The Benefits Package

There are numerous benefits of working in the education field. Health insurance, a good retirement plan and free tuition provided to the children of teachers in private schools are just a few. Typically, benefits will vary by state and school district.

Tenure is another unique benefit of being a teacher and provides a strong sense of job security. This benefit is usually achieved after completing three years of teaching in the same school and designates the school cannot fire said teacher without a specific, valid reason.

Employment Opportunities and Trends in the Field

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, opportunities in this field are expected to increase about as fast as the average in any field. There is a great need for teachers in specific districts and subject areas, which is causing more students to choose education as a career. The increase in many job opportunities from 2006-2016 will be a result of many teachers going into retirement. Job prospects are often better in inner cities and more urban areas.

Achieving a Promotion

As in any profession, the amount of education is directly proportional to the amount of opportunity for advancement. Teachers who obtain higher education not only have higher salaries, but can be promoted to higher positions, such as school librarian, instructional coordinator or guidance counselor. The most competition for promotion occurs in administration. Teachers with a solid educational background and a high success rate in the classroom are often eligible for a position in administration. However, these positions are few, and the competition is intense.

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2008-09 Edition, "Teachers--Preschool, Kindergarten, Elementary, Middle, and Secondary," on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos069.htm.