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Elementary School Teachers


Overview

Introduction

Elementary school teachers instruct students from the first through sixth or eighth grades. They develop teaching outlines and lesson plans, give lectures, facilitate discussions and activities, keep class attendance records, assign homework, and evaluate student progress. Most teachers work with one group of children throughout the day, teaching several subjects and supervising such activities as lunch and recess. Approximately 1.4 million elementary school teachers (excluding those who specialize in special education) are employed...

Quick Facts


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Median Salary

$58,230

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Employment Prospects

Good

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Minimum Education Level

Bachelor's Degree


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Experience

Experience as a student teacher required


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Skills

Interpersonal
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Personality Traits

Helpful
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Earnings

The mean annual salary for elementary school teachers (not including those who specialized in special education) was $58,230 in May 2018, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. The lowest 10 percent earned $37,780 or less; the highest 10 percent earned $95,270 or more. Elementary school special education teachers earned salaries that ranged from $38,980 to $95,730 or more. Private school te...

Work Environment

Most teachers are contracted to work 10 months out of the year, with a two-month vacation during the summer. During their summer break, many continue their education to renew or upgrade their teaching licenses and earn higher salaries. Teachers in schools that operate year-round work eight-week sessions with one-week breaks in between and a five-week vacation in the winter.

Teachers work...

Outlook

Employment opportunities for elementary school teachers are expected to grow more slowly than the average for all careers from 2018 to 2028, according to the Occupational Outlook Handbook. Despite this prediction, there will continue to be good demand for teachers because of the need to replace retiring teachers or those who leave the field for other careers, as well as growing student...