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Where
to Find Online Degrees & Information for:
Elementary Education
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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
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
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
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
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
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
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
eachers earn extra income during the summer teaching
summer school or performing other jobs in the school
system.
Related Occupations
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:
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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