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Where
to Find Colleges and Universities for:
Elementary Education
Degrees
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About:
Elementary Education
Significant Points
Public school teachers must have at least a bachelor's
degree, complete an approved teacher education program,
and be licensed.
Many States offer alternative licensing programs to
attract people into teaching, especially for hard-to-fill
positions.
Excellent job opportunities will stem from the large
number of teachers expected to retire over the next
10 years, particularly at the secondary school level;
job outlook will vary by geographic area and subject
specialty.
Nature of the Work [About this
section] Back to Top
Teachers act as facilitators
or coaches, using interactive discussions and "hands-on"
learning to help students learn and apply concepts in
subjects such as science, mathematics, or English. As
teachers move away from the traditional repetitive drill
approaches and rote memorization, they are using more
"props" or "manipulatives" to help
children understand abstract concepts, solve problems,
and develop critical thought processes. For example,
they teach the concepts of numbers or adding and subtracting
by playing board games. As children get older, they
use more sophisticated materials such as science apparatus,
cameras, or computers.
Many classes are becoming less
structured, with students working in groups to discuss
and solve problems together. Preparing students for
the future workforce is the major stimulus generating
the changes in education. To be prepared, students must
be able to interact with others, adapt to new technology,
and logically think through problems. Teachers provide
the tools and environment for their students to develop
these skills.
Preschool, kindergarten, and
elementary school teachers play a vital role in the
development of children. What children learn and experience
during their early years can shape their views of themselves
and the world, and affect later success or failure in
school, work, and their personal lives. Preschool, kindergarten,
and elementary school teachers introduce children to
numbers, language, science, and social studies. They
use games, music, artwork, films, books, computers,
and other tools to teach basic skills.
Preschool children learn mainly
through play. Recognizing the importance of play, preschool
teachers build their program around it. They capitalize
on children's play to further language development (storytelling
and acting games), improve social skills (working together
to build a neighborhood in a sandbox), and introduce
scientific and mathematical concepts (balancing and
counting blocks when building a bridge or mixing colors
when painting). Thus, a less structured approach is
used to teach preschool children, including small group
lessons, one-on-one instruction, and learning through
creative activities, such as art, dance, and music.
Play and hands-on teaching also are used in kindergarten
classrooms, but academics begins to take priority. Letter
recognition, phonics, numbers, and awareness of nature
and science are taught primarily by kindergarten teachers.
Most elementary school teachers
instruct one class of children in several subjects.
In some schools, two or more teachers work as a team
and are jointly responsible for a group of students
in at least one subject. In other schools, a teacher
may teach one special subject-usually music, art, reading,
science, arithmetic, or physical education-to a number
of classes. A small but growing number of teachers instruct
multilevel classrooms, with students at several different
learning levels.
Middle and secondary school teachers
help students delve more deeply into subjects introduced
in elementary school and expose them to more information
about the world. Middle and secondary school teachers
specialize in a specific subject, such as English, Spanish,
mathematics, history, or biology. They also can teach
subjects that are career-oriented. Vocational education
teachers instruct and train students to work in a wide
variety of fields, such as health care, business, auto
repair, communications, and, increasingly, technology.
They often teach courses that are in high demand by
area employers, who may provide input into the curriculum
and offer internships to students. (special education
teachers-who instruct elementary and secondary school
students who have a variety of disabilities-are discussed
separately in this section of the Handbook.)
Teachers may use films, slides,
overhead projectors, and the latest technology in teaching,
including computers, telecommunication systems, and
video discs. Use of computer resources, such as educational
software and the Internet, exposes students to a vast
range of experiences and promotes interactive learning.
Through the Internet, American students can communicate
with students in other countries. Students also use
the Internet for individual research projects and information
gathering. Computers are used in other classroom activities
as well, from helping students solve math problems to
learning English as a second language. Teachers also
may use computers to record grades and perform other
administrative and clerical duties. They must continually
update their skills so that they can instruct and use
the latest technology in the classroom.
Teachers often work with students
from varied ethnic, racial, and religious backgrounds.
With growing minority populations in many parts of the
country, it is important for teachers to establish rapport
with a diverse student population. Accordingly, some
schools offer training to help teachers enhance their
awareness and understanding of different cultures. Teachers
may also include multicultural programming in their
lesson plans to address the needs of all students, regardless
of their cultural background.
Teachers design classroom presentations
to meet student needs and abilities. They also work
with students individually. Teachers plan, evaluate,
and assign lessons; prepare, administer, and grade tests;
listen to oral presentations; and maintain classroom
discipline. They observe and evaluate a student's performance
and potential, and increasingly are asked to use new
assessment methods. For example, teachers may examine
a portfolio of a student's artwork or writing to judge
the student's overall progress. They then can provide
additional assistance in areas where a student needs
help. Teachers also grade papers, prepare report cards,
and meet with parents and school staff to discuss a
student's academic progress or personal problems.
In addition to classroom activities,
teachers oversee study halls and homerooms, supervise
extracurricular activities, and accompany students on
field trips. They identify physical or mental problems
and refer students to the proper resource or agency
for diagnosis and treatment. Secondary school teachers
occasionally assist students in choosing courses, colleges,
and careers. Teachers also participate in education
conferences and workshops.
In recent years, site-based management,
which allows teachers and parents to participate actively
in management decisions, has gained popularity. In many
schools, teachers are increasingly involved in making
decisions regarding the budget, personnel, textbook
choices, curriculum design, and teaching methods.
Working Conditions [About this
section] Back to Top
Seeing students develop new skills and gain an appreciation
of knowledge and learning can be very rewarding. However,
teaching may be frustrating when one is dealing with
unmotivated or disrespectful students. Occasionally,
teachers must cope with unruly behavior and violence
in the schools. Teachers may experience stress when
dealing with large classes, students from disadvantaged
or multicultural backgrounds, and heavy workloads. Schools,
particularly in inner cities, may be run down and lack
the amenities of schools in wealthier communities.
Teachers are sometimes isolated
from their colleagues because they work alone in a classroom
of students. However, some schools are allowing teachers
to work in teams and with mentors to enhance their professional
development.
Including school duties performed
outside the classroom, many teachers work more than
40 hours a week. Part-time schedules are more common
among preschool and kindergarten teachers. Although
some school districts have gone to all-day kindergartens,
most kindergarten teachers still teach two kindergarten
classes a day. Most teachers work the traditional 10-month
school year with a 2-month vacation during the summer.
During the vacation break, those on the 10-month schedule
may teach in summer sessions, take other jobs, travel,
or pursue other personal interests. Many enroll in college
courses or workshops to continue their education. Teachers
in districts with a year-round schedule typically work
8 weeks, are on vacation for 1 week, and have a 5-week
midwinter break. Preschool teachers working in day care
settings often work year round.
Most States have tenure laws
that prevent teachers from being fired without just
cause and due process. Teachers may obtain tenure after
they have satisfactorily completed a probationary period
of teaching, normally 3 years. Tenure does not absolutely
guarantee a job, but it does provide some security.
Employment [About this section]
Back to Top
Teachers held about 3.8 million jobs in 2000. Of those,
about 1.5 million were elementary school teachers, 1.1
million were secondary school, 590,000 were middle school,
423,000 were preschool, and 175,000 were kindergarten
teachers. Approximately 15 percent of elementary, middle,
and secondary school teachers work for private schools.
Preschool facilities are often located in schools, religious
institutions, and workplaces in which employers provide
day care for their employees' children. Employment of
teachers is distributed geographically, much the same
as the population.
Training, Other Qualifications,
and Advancement [About this section] Back to Top
All 50 States and the District
of Columbia require public school teachers to be licensed.
Licensure is not required for teachers in private schools.
Usually licensure is granted by the State board of education
or a licensure advisory committee. Teachers may be licensed
to teach the early childhood grades (usually nursery
school through grade 3); the elementary grades (grades
1 through 6 or 8); the middle grades (grades 5 through
8); a secondary education subject area (usually grades
7 through 12); or a special subject, such as reading
or music (usually grades kindergarten through 12).
Requirements for regular licenses
to teach kindergarten through grade 12 vary by State.
However, all States require general education teachers
to have a bachelor's degree and to have completed an
approved teacher training program with a prescribed
number of subject and education credits as well as supervised
practice teaching. About one-third of the States also
require technology training as part of the teacher certification
process. A number of States require specific minimum
grade point averages for teacher licensure. Other States
require teachers to obtain a master's degree in education,
which involves at least 1 year of additional coursework
beyond the bachelor's degree, with a specialization
in a particular subject.
Almost all States require applicants
for teacher licensure to be tested for competency in
basic skills such as reading, writing, teaching, and
subject matter proficiency. Most States require continuing
education for renewal of the teacher's license. Many
States have reciprocity agreements that make it easier
for teachers licensed in one State to become licensed
in another.
Increasingly, States are moving
towards implementing performance-based standards for
licensure, which require passing a rigorous comprehensive
teaching examination to obtain a provisional license.
Teachers must then demonstrate satisfactory teaching
performance over an extended period to obtain a full
license.
Many States offer alternative
teacher licensure programs for people who have bachelor's
degrees in the subject they will teach, but lack the
necessary education courses required for a regular license.
Alternative licensure programs originally were designed
to ease teacher shortages in certain subjects, such
as mathematics and science. The programs have expanded
to attract other people into teaching, including recent
college graduates and mid-career changers. In some programs,
individuals begin teaching quickly under provisional
licensure. After working under the close supervision
of experienced educators for 1 or 2 years while taking
education courses outside school hours, they receive
regular licensure if they have progressed satisfactorily.
Under other programs, college graduates who do not meet
licensure requirements take only those courses that
they lack, and then become licensed. This may take 1
or 2 semesters of full-time study. States may issue
emergency licenses to individuals who do not meet requirements
for a regular license when schools cannot attract enough
qualified teachers to fill positions. Teachers who need
licensure may enter programs that grant a master's degree
in education, as well as a license.
In many States, vocational teachers
have many of the same requirements for teaching as their
academic counterparts. However, since knowledge and
experience in a particular field are the most important
criteria for the job, some States will license vocational
education teachers without a bachelor's degree, provided
they can demonstrate expertise in their field.
Licensing requirements for preschool
teachers vary by State. Requirements for public school
teachers are generally higher than those for private
preschool teachers. Some States require a bachelor's
degree in early childhood education and others require
an associate degree, while others may require certification
by a nationally recognized authority. The Child Development
Associate (CDA) credential is the most common type of
certification. It requires a mix of classroom training
and experience working with children, along with an
independent assessment of an individual's competence.
For several years, the National
Board for Professional Teaching Standards has offered
voluntary national certification for teachers in kindergarten
through grade 12. To become nationally certified, teachers
must prove their aptitude by compiling a portfolio showing
their work in the classroom, and by passing a written
assessment and evaluation of their teaching knowledge.
Currently, teachers may become certified in 1 of 7 areas.
These areas are based on the age of the students and,
in some cases, subject area. For example, teachers may
obtain a certificate for teaching English language arts
to early adolescents (ages 11-15), or they may become
certified as early childhood generalists. All States
recognize national certification, and many States and
school districts provide special benefits to teachers
holding national certification. Benefits typically include
higher salaries and reimbursement for continuing education
and certification fees. Additionally, many States allow
nationally certified teachers to carry a license from
one State to another.
The National Council for Accreditation
of Teacher Education currently accredits more than 500
teacher education programs across the United States.
Generally, 4-year colleges require students to wait
until their sophomore year before applying for admission
to teacher education programs. Traditional education
programs for kindergarten and elementary school teachers
include courses-designed specifically for those preparing
to teach-in mathematics, physical science, social science,
music, art, and literature, as well as prescribed professional
education courses such as philosophy of education, psychology
of learning, and teaching methods. Aspiring secondary
school teachers either major in the subject they plan
to teach while also taking education courses, or major
in education and take subject courses. Teacher education
programs are now required to include classes in the
use of computers and other technologies to maintain
accreditation. Most programs require students to perform
a student teaching internship.
Many States now offer professional
development schools, which are partnerships between
universities and elementary or secondary schools. Students
enter these 1-year programs after completion of their
bachelor's degree. Professional development schools
merge theory with practice and allow the student to
experience a year of teaching first-hand, with professional
guidance.
In addition to being knowledgeable
in their subject, teachers must have the ability to
communicate, inspire trust and confidence, and motivate
students, as well as understand their educational and
emotional needs. Teachers must be able to recognize
and respond to individual differences in students, and
employ different teaching methods that will result in
higher student achievement. They should be organized,
dependable, patient, and creative. Teachers also must
be able to work cooperatively and communicate effectively
with other teaching staff, support staff, parents, and
other members of the community.
With additional preparation,
teachers may move into positions as school librarians,
reading specialists, curriculum specialists, or guidance
counselors. Teachers in kindergarten through grade 12
may become administrators or supervisors, although the
number of these positions is limited and competition
can be intense. In some systems, highly qualified, experienced
teachers can become senior or mentor teachers, with
higher pay and additional responsibilities. They guide
and assist less experienced teachers while keeping most
of their own teaching responsibilities. Preschool teachers
usually work their way up from assistant teacher, to
teacher, then to lead teacher-who may be responsible
for instruction of several classes-and finally to director
of the center. A master's degree is often required to
become a director. Preschool teachers with a bachelor's
degree often are also qualified to teach kindergarten
through grade 3. Teaching at these higher grades often
results in higher pay.
Job Outlook [About this section]
Back to Top
Job opportunities for teachers over the next 10 years
should be excellent, attributable mostly to the large
number of teachers expected to retire. Although employment
of preschool, kindergarten, elementary, middle, and
secondary school teachers is expected to increase about
as fast as the average for all occupations, a large
proportion will be eligible to retire by 2010, creating
many vacancies, particularly at the secondary school
level. Intense competition for good teachers is already
under way among employers in many locations, with schools
luring teachers from other States and districts with
bonuses and higher pay.
Overall enrollments through 2010,
a key factor in the demand for teachers, are projected
to rise slowly, resulting in average employment growth
for all teachers from preschool to secondary grades.
However, projected enrollments vary by region. States
in the South and West-particularly California, Texas,
Arizona, and Georgia-will experience large enrollment
increases, while States in the Northeast and Midwest
may experience declines. Projected enrollments also
differ by grade, with enrollments rising moderately
in grades 9 through 12, while remaining fairly steady
for all other grades over the 2000-10 period.
The job market for teachers also
continues to vary by school location and by subject
specialty. Many inner cities-often characterized by
overcrowded, ill-equipped schools and higher than average
poverty rates-and rural areas-characterized by their
remote location and relatively low salaries-have difficulty
attracting enough teachers, so job prospects should
be better in these areas than in suburban districts.
Currently, many school districts have difficulty hiring
qualified teachers in some subject areas-mathematics,
science (especially chemistry and physics), bilingual
education, foreign languages, and computer science.
Specialties that currently have an adequate number of
qualified teachers include general elementary education,
physical education, and social studies. Teachers who
are geographically mobile and who obtain licensure in
more than one subject should have a distinct advantage
in finding a job. Increasing enrollments of minorities,
coupled with a shortage of minority teachers, should
cause efforts to recruit minority teachers to intensify.
Also, the number of non-English speaking students has
grown dramatically, especially in California and Florida,
which have large Spanish-speaking student populations,
creating demand for bilingual teachers and those who
teach English as a second language.
The number of teachers employed
also is dependent on State and local expenditures for
education and enactment of legislation to increase the
quality of education. A number of initiatives, such
as reduced class size (primarily in the early elementary
grades), mandatory preschool for 4-year-olds, and all-day
kindergarten have been implemented in a few States,
but implementation nationwide has been limited. Additional
teachers, particularly preschool and early elementary
school teachers, will be needed if States or localities
implement any of these measures. Because of a shortage
of teachers in certain locations and in anticipation
of the loss of a number of teachers to retirement, many
States are implementing policies that will encourage
more students to become teachers. Some are giving large
signing bonuses that are distributed over the teacher's
first few years of teaching. Some are expanding State
scholarships; issuing loans for moving expenses; and
implementing loan-forgiveness programs, allowing education
majors with at least a B average to receive State-paid
tuition so long as they agree to teach in the State
for 4 years.
The supply of teachers also is
expected to increase in response to reports of improved
job prospects, more teacher involvement in school policy,
and greater public interest in education. In recent
years, the total number of bachelor's and master's degrees
granted in education has steadily increased. In addition,
more teachers will be drawn from a reserve pool of career
changers, substitute teachers, and teachers completing
alternative certification programs, relocating to different
schools, and re-entering the workforce.
Earnings [About this section]
Back to Top
Median annual earnings of kindergarten, elementary,
middle, and secondary school teachers ranged from $37,610
to $42,080 in 2000; the lowest 10 percent earned $23,320
to $28,460; the top 10 percent earned $57,590 to $64,920.
Median earnings for preschool teachers were $17,810.
According to the American Federation
of Teachers, beginning teachers with a bachelor's degree
earned an average of $27,989 in the 1999-2000 school
year. The estimated average salary of all public elementary
and secondary school teachers in the 1999-2000 school
year was $41,820. Private school teachers generally
earn less than public school teachers.
In 1999, more than half of all
public school teachers belonged to unions-mainly the
American Federation of Teachers and the National Education
Association-that bargain with school systems over wages,
hours, and the terms and conditions of employment.
Teachers can boost their salary
in a number of ways. In some schools, teachers receive
extra pay for coaching sports and working with students
in extracurricular activities. Getting a master's degree
or national certification often results in a raise in
pay, as does acting as a mentor teacher. Some teachers
earn extra income during the summer teaching summer
school or performing other jobs in the school system.
Related Occupations [About this
section] Back to Top
Preschool, kindergarten, elementary, middle, and secondary
school teaching requires a variety of skills and aptitudes,
including a talent for working with children; organizational,
administrative, and recordkeeping abilities; research
and communication skills; the power to influence, motivate,
and train others; patience; and creativity. Workers
in other occupations requiring some of these aptitudes
include teachers-postsecondary; counselors; teacher
assistants; education administrators; librarians; childcare
workers; public relations specialists; social workers;
and athletes, coaches, umpires, and related workers.
Sources of Additional Information
[About this section] Back to Top
Disclaimer:Links to non-BLS Internet
sites are provided for your convenience and do not constitute
an endorsement.
Information on licensure or certification requirements
and approved teacher training institutions is available
from local school systems and State departments of education.
Information on the teaching profession
and on how to become a teacher can be obtained from:
Recruiting New Teachers, Inc.,
385 Concord Ave., Suite 103, Belmont, MA 02478.
Internet: http://www.rnt.org
This organization also sponsors another Internet site
that provides helpful information on becoming a teacher:
http://www.recruitingteachers.org
Information on teachers' unions
and education-related issues may be obtained from:
American Federation of Teachers,
555 New Jersey Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20001.
Internet: http://www.aft.org
National Education Association, 1201 16th St. NW., Washington,
DC 20036.
Internet: http://www.nea.org
A list of institutions with accredited teacher education
programs can be obtained from:
National Council for Accreditation
of Teacher Education, 2010 Massachusetts Ave. NW., Suite
500, Washington, DC 20036.
Internet: http://www.ncate.org
For information on careers in educating children and
issues affecting preschool teachers, contact:
National Association for the
Education of Young Children, 1509 16th St. NW., Washington,
DC 20036.
Internet: http://www.naeyc.org
Association for Childhood Education International, 17904
Georgia Ave., Suite 215, Olney, MD 20832-2277.
Internet: http://www.acei.org
For eligibility requirements and a description of the
Child Development Associate credential, contact:
Council for Early Childhood Professional
Recognition, 2460 16th St. NW., Washington, DC 20009.
Internet: http://www.cdacouncil.org
Selected industries employing teachers-preschool, kindergarten,
elementary, middle, and secondary that appear in the
2002-03 Career Guide to Industries:
Child-care services
Educational services
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