Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education

Career Description: Teach elemental natural and social science, personal hygiene, music, art, and literature to children from 4 to 6 years old. Promote physical, mental, and social development. May be required to hold State certification.

Industry: Education, Training, and Library

Other Job Titles for Kindergarten 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

• Teach basic skills such as color, shape, number and letter recognition, personal hygiene, and social skills.
• Establish and enforce rules for behavior, and policies and procedures to maintain order among students.
• Observe and evaluate children's performance, behavior, social development, and physical health.
• Instruct students individually and in groups, adapting teaching methods to meet students' varying needs and interests.
• Read books to entire classes or to small groups.
• Demonstrate activities to children.
• Provide a variety of materials and resources for children to explore, manipulate, and use, both in learning activities and in imaginative play.
• Plan and conduct activities for a balanced program of instruction, demonstration, and work time that provides students with opportunities to observe, question, and investigate.
• Confer with parents or guardians, other teachers, counselors, and administrators to resolve students' behavioral and academic problems.
• Prepare children for later grades by encouraging them to explore learning opportunities and to persevere with challenging tasks.
• Establish clear objectives for all lessons, units, and projects, and communicate those objectives to children.
• Prepare and implement remedial programs for students requiring extra help.
• Meet with parents and guardians to discuss their children's progress, and to determine their priorities for their children and their resource needs.
• Organize and lead activities designed to promote physical, mental, and social development such as games, arts and crafts, music, and storytelling.
• Prepare objectives and outlines for courses of study, following curriculum guidelines or requirements of states and schools.
• Guide and counsel students with adjustment or academic problems, or special academic interests.
• Instruct and monitor students in the use and care of equipment and materials, to prevent injuries and damage.
• Identify children showing signs of emotional, developmental, or health-related problems, and discuss them with supervisors, parents or guardians, and child development specialists.
• Assimilate arriving children to the school environment by greeting them, helping them remove outerwear, and selecting activities of interest to them.
• Maintain accurate and complete student records, and prepare reports on children and activities, as required by laws, district policies, and administrative regulations.
• Prepare materials, classrooms, and other indoor and outdoor spaces to facilitate creative play, learning and motor-skill activities, and safety.
• Collaborate with other teachers and administrators in the development, evaluation, and revision of kindergarten programs.
• Prepare, administer, and grade tests and assignments to evaluate children's progress.
• Meet with other professionals to discuss individual students' needs and progress.
• Organize and label materials and display children's work in a manner appropriate for their sizes and perceptual skills.
• Confer with other staff members to plan and schedule lessons promoting learning, following approved curricula.
• Supervise, evaluate, and plan assignments for teacher assistants and volunteers.
• Administer standardized ability and achievement tests, and interpret results to determine children's developmental levels and needs.
• Prepare for assigned classes, and show written evidence of preparation upon request of immediate supervisors.
• Use computers, audiovisual aids, and other equipment and materials to supplement presentations.
• Plan and supervise class projects, field trips, visits by guests, or other experiential activities, and guide students in learning from those activities.
• Involve parent volunteers and older students in children's activities, to facilitate involvement in focused, complex play.
• Attend professional meetings, educational conferences, and teacher training workshops to maintain and improve professional competence.
• Perform administrative duties such as assisting in school libraries, hall and cafeteria monitoring, and bus loading and unloading.
• Attend staff meetings, and serve on committees as required.
• 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

• Develop, maintain, and teach online courses.
• Review books and journal articles for potential publication.
• Teach community courses and speak to local groups and organizations.
• Recruit, train, and supervise department personnel, such as faculty and student writing instructors.
• Teach classes using online technology, such as course web pages.
• Teach writing classes.
• Write letters of recommendation for colleagues and students.
• Write original literary pieces.

• 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 parent conferences
• convert information into instructional program
• coordinate educational content
• design classroom presentations
• develop course or training objectives
• develop instructional materials
• develop teaching aids
• direct and coordinate activities of workers or staff
• ensure correct grammar, punctuation, or spelling
• establish and maintain relationships with students
• evaluate student performance
• maintain educational records, reports, or files
• maintain group discipline in an educational setting
• maintain safe environment for children
• make education presentations
• mentor co-workers in school or educational setting
• monitor children to detect signs of ill health or emotional disturbance
• monitor student classroom activities
• monitor student progress
• organize educational material or ideas
• organize esteem building activities for children
• organize social behavior learning activities
• prepare educational reports
• recognize student learning levels
• recognize student problems
• record student progress
• resolve behavioral or academic problems
• select teaching materials to meet student needs
• teach correct eating habits
• teach personal hygiene
• 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 research or project grant proposals
• write technical health or medical documents

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) - $45,120.00

• Projected growth (2006-2016): 16.31%
• Projected need (2006-2016): 27,766
• Employment (2006): 170,234

• Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education
• Health Educators
• Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education
• Recreation Workers
• School Psychologists
• Social and Human Service Assistants
• Teacher Assistants
• Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education
• Sociologists