Duties and Responsibilities

The most important duty of a Teacher is to groom a student to be a good person and citizen. The daily duties of a Teacher varies according to the job that they are holding and who their employers are. The general duties of a Teacher remain more or less the same in any situation. Below are given the duties and responsibilities that a Teacher holds in various situation.

• General Duties:
  • Reach the class on time for teaching.
  • Show and guide the students on moral principle, social and environmental issues.
  • Maintain a Teacher’s diary in which daily lessons plan could be jotted down.
  • Comply with all the rules and system procedures as laid down by the school as well as the federal, and State and local bodies such as the Board of Education.
  • Attend and participate in faculty meetings to discuss the ways and means to improve students’ performance in the subject.
  • Maintain complete, detailed and accurate records and file the records promptly.
  • Make use of the benefit of further education which is funded by the school/government to make advances in their career and also for the betterment of the student.

• Classroom Duties
  • Before taking the class the Teacher should be well prepared in each and every aspect of the lesson and make it as interesting as possible.
  • Before the actual delivery of the lesson the class should be well motivated so that they will be interested in the lesson.
  • Link the lesson to a previous knowledge of the students to show a continuity of their studies.
  • Make use of the relevant teaching aid and develop new ones if necessary.
  • Make the lessons interesting by interacting with the students and encouraging their curiosity, motivating and provoking their intellectuality, tickling their imagination and application of the concepts taught.
  • Give the students’ activity or application based assignment which goes beyond the bookish knowledge and guides them towards the various resources they can utilise.
  • Implement the curriculum as laid down and keeping up to date knowledge of the subjects taught.
  • Prepare, administer and evaluate examination papers.
  • Evaluate students’ progress from time to time.
  • Maintain cleanliness, discipline and decorum in the classroom and treat the students with respect so that they respect others whom they come in touch with.

Salary and income in the teaching profession

Salary of a person is dependent on various factors and differs according to the years of experience, at which level is the Teacher teaching, the type of employer and the industry that they work in amongst others.

At Which Level is the Teaching Job

• An Elementary School Teacher is paid an annual median salary of $ 40,841 and a median hourly wage rate of $ 13.47.
• A Middle School Teacher is paid an annual median salary of $ 41,833 and a median hourly wage rate of $ 15.27.
• A Secondary School Teacher is paid an annual median salary of $ 41,856.
• A high school Teacher is paid an annual median salary of $ 43,389 and a median hourly wage rate of $ 15.00.
• A Special Education Teacher, Preschool, Kindergarten, or Elementary School is paid an annual median salary of $ 40,841 and a median hourly wage rate of $ 13.25.
• A Special Education Teacher, Secondary School is paid an annual median salary of $ 43,718 and a median hourly wage rate of $ 15.76.
• A Special Education Teacher, Middle School is paid an annual median salary of $ 41,889.

• Years of Experience

• Experience of less than one year the median annual salary is $ 34,756 and the median hourly wage rate is $ 10.97
• Experience between one to four years the median annual salary is $ 36,820and the hourly median wage rate is $ 12.97.
• Experience between five to nine years the median annual salary is $ 42,665 and the median hourly wage rate is $ 15.44.
• Experience between ten to nineteen years the median annual salary is $ 49,520 and the median hourly wage rate is $ 16.72.
• Experience of more than twenty years the median annual salary is $ 57,657 and the median hourly wage rate is $ 23.94.

• Employer Type

• A Teacher when he is employed by a school or school district he earns a median annual salary of $ 41,621 and the median hourly wage rate is $ 14.64.
• A Teacher when he is employed by a Government – State and Local, he earns a median annual salary of $ 42,853 and the median hourly wage rate is $ 15.58.
• A Teacher when he is employed by a company, he earns a median annual salary of $ 37,676 and the median hourly wage rate is $ 11.13.
• A Teacher when he is employed by a Non-Profit Organization, he earns a median annual salary of $ 37,375 and the median hourly wage rate is $ 13.28.
• A Teacher when he is employed by a Private Practice or firm, he earns a median annual salary of $ 36,045 and the median hourly wage rate is $ 14.11.
• A Teacher when he is employed in government-federal, he earns a median annual salary of $ 41,626 and the median hourly wage rate is $ 14.68.
• A Teacher when he is employed by other organization, he earns a median annual salary of $ 36,475 and the median hourly wage rate is $ 12.31.
• A Teacher when he is employed by a college or university, he earns a median annual salary of $ 38,801 and the median hourly wage rate is $ 12.00.

• Industry

• Teachers in Education, K-12 Schools are paid an median annual salary of $ 43,164 and the median hourly wage rate $ 14.93.
• Teachers in Educations are paid an median annual salary of $ 42,748 and the median hourly wage rate $ 15.00.
• Teachers in School District are paid a median annual salary of $ 40,452 and the median hourly wage rate $ 12.65.
• Teachers in Education, Private K-12 School are paid an median annual salary of $ 37,396 and the median hourly wage rate $ 14.02.
• Teachers in High School are paid an median annual salary of $ 40,596 and the median hourly wage rate $ 17.05.
• Teachers in Secondary Education are paid an median annual salary of $ 43,457.
• Teachers in Elementary Education are paid an median annual salary of $ 39,724 and the median hourly wage rate $ 15.00.

A Teacher earns all the regular benefits that others get in the industry such as paid vacations/holiday, paid sick leave, 401(k), 403(b) etc.

About Teachers

To say that a Teacher teaches just subjects or courses in school would be the greatest fallacy. Teacher does teach subjects in school, but they also are much more than that. They are role models; they are the parents away from home; they are ones who are instrumental in developing the social skills and intellectual acumen of a pupil during their formative years. What students learn from a Teacher is the key that will determine what they will become in the future. Wherever a Teacher is placed, whether in elementary school or secondary school, whether in a private school or a public school the Teacher is the one that provides the necessary training to a student to face life as an adult. The baggage that a student carries if filled with good thoughts, good words and good deeds as taught by a Teacher will help in making the student a responsible adult and the vice versa is also true.

A Teacher with the help of classroom presentations or giving individual attention as a tutor guides and instructs students on the concepts of subjects such as science, mathematics, language, social studies, art and music. They plan the daily curriculum, assess and give out the daily lessons; they prepare, administer and correct papers; listen to the oral recitation; and keep the discipline and decorum in the classroom. On the basis of their day to day contact with the students they assess the student’s progress and potential. Teachers are now using newer methods by way of which they can evaluate students. For instance the barometer of a student’s performance in the past was based on just an examination, but now-a-days a Teacher will evaluate a student’s art or his writing in order to make a judgement on his overall progress. They then help students in areas where they think the students are lacking. They also correct exam papers and based on that prepare report cards, and meet with the parents and other school staff to interact on the student’s performance and progress and any personal problems they see in them.

Skills and Abilities a teacher should possess

Being knowledgeable about the subjects that a Teacher teaches is of primary importance but there are other skills which are necessary for a Teacher to be successful. Success of a Teacher is not only measured by how many students pass in the subjects that they teach but also by the quality of education both formal and otherwise which they impart.

• Teachers must have the ability to communicate and they should be able to inspire trust and confidence.
• They should be able to motivate the students to take an interest and learn the subjects that they teach.
• They should be able to read the students educational and emotional needs and help them in overcoming problems.
• They should be able to read the differences including cultural ones and adapt their teaching methods so that the student can achieve success.
• They need to have organizational abilities, patience, dependability and creativity abilities to be successful in their profession.
• Teachers also need to have good communication skills and be cooperative with other Teachers, support staff members, parents and members of the community.
• Private schools which are affiliated to religious institutions employ Teachers who share their values.

Education for a career as a teacher

A Teacher without knowledge (education) is like a tap without water. For the Teacher to teach education is an extremely necessary component of their arsenal. Below are given the educational requirements which a Teacher should have to carry on in their profession.

• Traditional education requirement for a kindergarten and elementary school Teacher is a bachelor’s degree from a Teacher’s education program.
• The course in this program consists of mathematics, English literature, social science, physical science, music and art.
• There is also an inclusion of subjects pertaining to the profession such as psychology of learning, philosophy of education and teaching methods.
• Secondary school Teacher aspirants have to major in the subject that they plan to teach as well as study the Teacher’s preparation program.
• Many colleges which have four year courses ask their students to wait until their sophomore year before making an application to Teacher’s education program.
• In the modern world other than the subjects mentioned above Teacher’s have also to include classes in computers and other related technologies.
• Most programs require that a student Teacher internship is completed before getting their degrees.
• There are also professional development schools which are in partnership with universities and elementary or secondary schools whereby the student is benefited by both theory and practice.
• These professional development schools offer a one year internship under professional guidance after the student completes their bachelor’s degree.

Certification and Licensure needed to become a teacher

All the fifty states and the District of Columbia require that a Teacher should be licensed. The licensing requirements and procedure may differ from State to State. Licensure is not required for Teachers by most private schools.

• Almost all states require that a Teacher should have passed a bachelor’s degree and done an approved Teacher’s training program.
• The Teacher’s training program should be completed with a designated number of subjects and education credits.
• They should also have completed supervised practice teaching.
• Some states also want their Teachers to have technology training and a minimum grade point average.
• Others require that a Teacher attains a master’s degree within a stipulated period of teaching.
• Many schools adopt the procedure that in addition to passing an examination a provisional licensure is granted on performance basis over an extended period of time.
• To renew their license many states require that a Teacher completes a minimum number of hours of continuing education.
• Many states have reciprocity agreements whereby a license in one state makes it easier for the Teacher to get a license in another.
• Many states are relaxing the rule of education courses for teaching to grant a license if they have a bachelor’s degree in the subject they will teach.
• This is to tide over the paucity of Teachers especially in the urban or rural areas where it is difficult to fill in positions with the traditional education.
• In order to show competency beyond the required need for a licence Teachers gain certification.
• The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards offers a voluntary national certification.
• This certificates help in the advancement of the Teachers and special benefits such as higher salary and reimbursement for continuing education and certification.
• They also help in gaining licenses when moving from one State to the other.