How you spend your time as a teacher depends on the age or grade level you teach and the subjects you specialize in. A preschool teacher’s day will look very different from that of a middle school math teacher, for example.
If you teach kindergarten or elementary school, you will need to cover a wide range of subjects with your students. If you teach at the middle school or high school level, you will specialize in a particular subject or area such as English, science or art.
No matter what age level or subject you teach, you will need to be an effective communicator. Teachers must clearly convey information to students in ways that help them learn and grow. Teaching happens in front of the whole class, in small groups and in one-on-one sessions.
This means you must be comfortable communicating in all these situations. Teachers not only communicate with students, but also work closely with their colleagues, administrators and parents or guardians to support students.
A preschool teacher generally works with toddlers from ages three to five, preparing them for kindergarten. Some of the lessons you might find yourself teaching as a preschool teacher include vocabulary, language development and personal hygiene. Preschool teachers also help students develop socioemotional skills, and gross and fine motor skills.
Academics at the preschool level are often activity-based. Art, music, crafts, dance and storytelling make up a large portion of the preschool curriculum. However, not all teaching is fun and games. A preschool teacher must show students how to work together and follow rules and routines.
Preschool teachers generally teach in small groups and one-on-one. This allows students to get the attention they need and teachers to ensure that progress is being made.
Kindergarten teachers tend to work at elementary schools. They bridge student development between the preschool level and the subsequent grade levels of elementary school. They integrate students into the world of academic learning and help prepare them for the more rigorous academic content of elementary school.
However, kindergarten teachers also continue the work of preschool teachers by addressing socioemotional skills, hygiene, art, music and reading. Since not all students go to preschool, teaching kindergarten means you may work with students who have never been to school before. These students need extra help in learning the rules and routines of the classroom. They may need help with how to behave during the school day and how to play cooperatively with their peers.
Kindergarten teachers plan the curriculum for each day so that their students build basic reading and writing skills over the course of the year. They also help students develop a basic understanding of numbers so they can begin early mathematics classes.
You may find teaching elementary school to be rewarding. Elementary school teachers generally instruct students through the fifth or sixth grade and teach a wide variety of subjects to develop their students’ academic skills in all areas. This can vary by different states and districts; if interested, be sure to check the requirements. The subjects may include:
- Reading
- Writing
- Math
- Science
- History/social studies
While many elementary schools also have dedicated art, music and physical education teachers, these positions may require specific degrees, such as a Bachelor of Science in Physical Education.1
The early grades, such as kindergarten and first grade, often focus much of their content on basic phonics and reading and social skills. Learning is often done through play, art and music.
Second- and third-grade students are more accustomed to school, so teachers can focus on core subjects while continuing to help students develop positive behavior and social skills. In third grade, you will likely see a shift to more academic work as the core curriculum gains areas such as science and social studies.
By the fourth and fifth grades, students can typically read independently. They can also use reading as a tool for learning, which allows them greater independence in all academic areas. Students in upper elementary school often mature quickly, and teachers who work with this population need patience, energy and creativity.
If you plan to teach at the middle school or high school level, you will typically need to earn a teaching degree and certification in secondary education or a teaching degree and a middle school endorsement that qualifies you to teach a specific subject.2 Middle schools generally include grades six through eight, and high schools encompass grades nine through 12.
The teaching degree you earn may allow you to teach in one of these areas:
Since high school students rotate through a series of teachers and classes, you may interact with more than a hundred students each day. High school teachers can have a major influence on the students in their community, especially given that these years include the emotionally challenging transition from adolescence into young adulthood. Teachers at this level need patience and an understanding of what students are going through in many areas of their lives.
