Classroom teachers provide broad academic instruction in elementary grade levels or topic-specific education in middle school and high school courses. You typically need a bachelor's degree and a state-issued certificate or license to teach in an accredited school. The median annual pay in 2010 for kindergarten and elementary teachers was $51,380, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Before they begin offering instruction in the classroom, successful teachers spend time preparing goals and lesson plans. Lesson plans outline what chapters or topics will be taught on particular days and what homework will be assigned. An organized schedule helps the teacher keep on task each day and on pace to meet the required education standards for her grade level or class. Posters, charts, class schedules and projects are other things teachers usually prepare for their classes.
Teachers are constantly communicating. The nature of the job requires that they have good presentation skills to provide instruction to a class and good interpersonal communication skills to work one-on-one with students. Teachers collaborate with associates in their classes, special needs instructors, grade level colleagues, other faculty, and staff and administrators. They also share student progress with parents as needed and, in turn, listen to their concerns.
Teachers need leadership skills and patience to train students to function in a disciplined environment. So that academic instruction is fruitful, teachers usually train students to sit still, focus on instruction and behave properly. This begins at the start of the year when students are educated on basic classroom policies and methods of discipline. Teachers need patience, though, to avoid speaking out in anger or frustration when students are loud or speak out of turn.
Teachers need to bring a creative ability and personal style to their role to help students achieve academic success. Students don't always have the aptitude and focus to absorb dry, repetitive content or lessons. To get them excited about learning, you need to come up with creative examples and projects to help them experience the information you want them to learn. Using current classroom technology such as tablet devices, computers and interactive white boards can help get students excited while enhancing their learning experience.
Classroom teachers need a genuinely optimistic attitude. Students routinely bring their personal and family life frustrations to school with them each day. Young people also typically haven't learned strong coping skills to deal with stress or problems. As an optimistic leader, you can help kids maintain focus on the positive things in their lives and the goals in front of them. Also, the natural modeling you provide by staying positive through your own mistakes or classroom challenges is helpful.
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