Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education

Career Description: Teach pupils in public or private schools at the elementary level basic academic, social, and other formative skills.

Industry: Education, Training, and Library

Other Job Titles for Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education:

• Realistic: Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
• Investigative: Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
• Artistic: Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.
• Social: Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
• Enterprising: Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
• Conventional: Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
• First Interest High-Point: Primary-Rank Descriptiveness
• Second Interest High-Point: Secondary-Cutoff/Rank Descriptiveness
• Third Interest High-Point: Tertiary-Cutoff/Rank Descriptiveness

• Establish and enforce rules for behavior and procedures for maintaining order among the students for whom they are responsible.
• 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 various 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 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.
• Meet with other professionals to discuss individual students' needs and progress.
• Use computers, audio-visual aids, and other equipment and materials to supplement presentations.
• Prepare for assigned classes and show written evidence of preparation upon request of immediate supervisors.
• Collaborate with other teachers and administrators in the development, evaluation, and revision of elementary school programs.
• Prepare reports on students and activities as required by administration.
• Instruct and monitor students in the use and care of equipment and materials to prevent injuries and damage.
• Organize and lead activities designed to promote physical, mental, and social development, such as games, arts and crafts, music, and storytelling.
• Attend professional meetings, educational conferences, and teacher training workshops to maintain and improve professional competence.
• Plan and supervise class projects, field trips, visits by guest speakers or other experiential activities, and guide students in learning from those activities.
• Organize and label materials and display students' work.
• Attend staff meetings and serve on committees, as required.
• Administer standardized ability and achievement tests and interpret results to determine student strengths and areas of need.
• Supervise, evaluate, and plan assignments for teacher assistants and volunteers.
• Involve parent volunteers and older students in children's activities to facilitate involvement in focused, complex play.
• Perform administrative duties such as assisting in school libraries, hall and cafeteria monitoring, and bus loading and unloading.
• Select, store, order, issue, and inventory classroom equipment, materials, and supplies.
• Provide disabled students with assistive devices, supportive technology, and assistance accessing facilities, such as restrooms.
• Sponsor extracurricular activities such as clubs, student organizations, and academic contests.
• Write instructional articles on designated subjects.

Emerging Tasks

• Serve as a liaison between the university and other governmental and educational agencies.
• Serve on committees or in professional organizations.
• Serve on committees or in professional societies.
• Provide students course-related experiences (e.g., field trips) outside the classroom.
• Review papers for publication in journals.
• Write letters of recommendation for students applying to graduate school.

• Analyzing Data or Information: Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
• Assisting and Caring for Others: Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
• Coaching and Developing Others: Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.
• Communicating with Persons Outside Organization: Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates: Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
• Controlling Machines and Processes: Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).
• Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others: Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.
• Developing and Building Teams: Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
• Developing Objectives and Strategies: Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.
• Documenting/Recording Information: Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
• Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment: Providing documentation, detailed instructions, drawings, or specifications to tell others about how devices, parts, equipment, or structures are to be fabricated, constructed, assembled, modified, maintained, or used.
• Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships: Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
• Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information: Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.
• Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards: Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
• Getting Information: Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
• Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates: Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.
• Handling and Moving Objects: Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
• Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events: Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
• Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material: Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
• Interacting With Computers: Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
• Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others: Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
• Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People: Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems: Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
• Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings: Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
• Monitoring and Controlling Resources: Monitoring and controlling resources and overseeing the spending of money.
• Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment: Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or water craft.
• Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work: Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
• Performing Administrative Activities: Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.
• Performing for or Working Directly with the Public: Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
• Performing General Physical Activities: Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling of materials.
• Processing Information: Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
• Provide Consultation and Advice to Others: Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.
• Repairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment: Servicing, repairing, calibrating, regulating, fine-tuning, or testing machines, devices, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of electrical or electronic (not mechanical) principles.
• Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment: Servicing, repairing, adjusting, and testing machines, devices, moving parts, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of mechanical (not electronic) principles.
• Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others: Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
• Scheduling Work and Activities: Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
• Selling or Influencing Others: Convincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions.
• Staffing Organizational Units: Recruiting, interviewing, selecting, hiring, and promoting employees in an organization.
• Thinking Creatively: Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
• Training and Teaching Others: Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
• Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge: Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.

Detailed Work Activities

• assess educational potential or need of students
• communicate student progress
• communicate visually or verbally
• conduct field trips
• conduct parent conferences
• convert information into instructional program
• design classroom presentations
• develop course or training objectives
• develop instructional materials
• develop teaching aids
• empathize with others during counseling or related services
• ensure correct grammar, punctuation, or spelling
• establish and maintain relationships with students
• evaluate educational outcomes
• evaluate student performance
• maintain educational records, reports, or files
• maintain group discipline in an educational setting
• make education presentations
• mentor co-workers in school or educational setting
• monitor student progress
• operate audio-visual equipment
• organize educational material or ideas
• organize esteem building activities for children
• organize social behavior learning activities
• prepare audio-visual teaching aids
• prepare educational reports
• recognize student learning levels
• recognize student problems
• record student progress
• resolve behavioral or academic problems
• schedule student field trips
• select teaching materials to meet student needs
• teach correct eating habits
• use classroom management techniques
• use computers to enter, access or retrieve educational data
• use early childhood education techniques
• use interpersonal communication techniques
• use knowledge of multi-media technology
• use motivational techniques in education
• use oral or written communication techniques
• use public speaking techniques
• use teaching techniques
• write public sector or educational grant proposals
• write research or project grant proposals

Overall Experience
A minimum of two to four years of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.

Job Training
Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.

Education
Most of these occupations require a four - year bachelor's degree, but some do not.

Examples
Many of these occupations involve coordinating, supervising, managing, or training others. Examples include accountants, human resource managers, computer programmers, teachers, chemists, and police detectives.

• Average annual wage (2007) - $47,330.00

• Projected growth (2006-2016): 13.58%
• Projected need (2006-2016): 209,173
• Employment (2006): 1,540,159

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