Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education

Teach elemental natural and social science, personal hygiene, music, art, and literature to kindergarten students. Promote physical, mental, and social development. May be required to hold State certification.

Median Annual Wage: $50,600

Education: Bachelor's degree (67%); Some college, no degree (10%); Post-baccalaureate certificate (8%)

Projected Growth: Average (8% to 14%)

Related Job Titles: Teacher; Elementary Teacher; Classroom Teacher; Kindergarten Teacher; Bilingual Kindergarten Teacher; Kinder Teacher; Kindergarten / First Grade Teacher; Title One Kindergarten Teacher; 4 Year Olds Kindergarten Teacher

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Source: O*NET OnLine information for Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education.

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

Source: O*NET OnLine information for Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education.

  • Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
  • Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
  • Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
  • Learning Strategies - Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
  • Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
  • Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
  • Time Management - Managing one's own time and the time of others.
  • Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
  • Service Orientation - Actively looking for ways to help people.

Source: O*NET OnLine information for Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education.

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