Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education
Teach academic and social skills to students at the elementary school level.
Also known as: Art Educator, Art Instructor, Art Teacher, Band Teacher, Bilingual Instructor, Bilingual Teacher, Choir Teacher, Classroom Teacher, ...
Annual Salary
Median annual wage (May 2024)
Job Outlook
Projected growth, 2024–2034 (Declining)
What You'd Do
- Establish and enforce rules for behavior and procedures for maintaining order among the students.
- Observe and evaluate students' performance, behavior, social development, and physical health.
- Prepare materials and classrooms for class activities.
- Adapt teaching methods and instructional materials to meet students' varying needs and interests.
- Plan and conduct activities for a balanced program of instruction, demonstration, and work time that provides students with opportunities to observe, question, and investigate.
- Instruct students individually and in groups, using teaching methods such as lectures, discussions, and demonstrations.
- Establish clear objectives for all lessons, units, and projects and communicate those objectives to students.
- Assign and grade class work and homework.
- Read books to entire classes or small groups.
- Prepare, administer, and grade tests and assignments to evaluate students' progress.
- Confer with parents or guardians, teachers, counselors, and administrators to resolve students' behavioral and academic problems.
- Meet with parents and guardians to discuss their children's progress and to determine priorities for their children and their resource needs.
- Maintain accurate and complete student records as required by laws, district policies, and administrative regulations.
- Prepare students for later grades by encouraging them to explore learning opportunities and to persevere with challenging tasks.
- Guide and counsel students with adjustment or academic problems or with special academic interests.
- Prepare and implement remedial programs for students requiring extra help.
- Prepare objectives and outlines for courses of study, following curriculum guidelines or requirements of states and schools.
- Provide a variety of materials and resources for children to explore, manipulate, and use, both in learning activities and in imaginative play.
- Enforce administration policies and rules governing students.
- Confer with other staff members to plan and schedule lessons promoting learning, following approved curricula.
Top Skills
Importance scale: 1 (low) – 5 (high)
Knowledge Areas
Importance scale: 1 (low) – 5 (high)
Education Level Distribution
Percentage of workers in this occupation by education level
Technology & Tools
Software and tools commonly used in this role
In-Demand Technologies
Other Tools
Work Styles
Personality traits and work styles important for this career
Key Abilities
Cognitive, physical, and sensory abilities important for this role
Importance scale: 1 (low) – 5 (high)
Work Activities
General types of job behaviors occurring on this job
Importance scale: 1 (low) – 5 (high)
Work Environment
Physical and social factors that influence the nature of work
Related Careers
Is Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education right for you?
Take our free career quiz to see how you match with this and 900+ other careers.
Salary data: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024. Outlook data: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034.
This page includes information from the O*NET 30.2 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license.