Description
As a teacher, you will be responsible for cultivating the students’ interest in education and their development. You should aim to be a competent professional with in-depth knowledge of teaching best practices and proper educational processes. In addition to having excellent written and verbal communication skills, an ideal teaching candidate should also demonstrate outstanding presentation and interpersonal abilities. There are a series of requirements and responsibilities that you must uphold while being an educator:
- You are responsible for developing educational content including lessons, tests, and assignments for your students.
- You must supervise the class to ensure all students are learning in a safe and productive environment while also supporting their mental health and well-being.
- You are required to organize supplies and resources for lessons and presentations. Teachers must deliver personalized instruction to each student by encouraging interactive learning.
- You are responsible for planning and implementing educational activities and events and ensure your classroom is clean and orderly at all times.
- Teachers are required to prepare and distribute periodic progress reports and semester report cards based on students' learning capabilities and provide feedback for further success.
- Every teacher must host parent-teacher meetings and upkeep a relationship with both students and parents.
- You must allocate and grade homework, assignments, and tests.
- Create a safe space where students can succeed and gain further knowledge as you are educating the next generation.
- Collaborate with other staff/teachers
- Must have a teamwork mentality and be open to making connections
Second description
We looked at the career of an Elementary School Teacher and interviewed three teachers teaching at the elementary school grade level of kindergarten to grade 6. For elementary school teachers, they teach students in a classroom for 5 days a week (Monday to Friday) from 8:30 am to 3:00 pm (time varies depending on school). Their main responsibility is to educate students and support their growth and learning. However, it is more than just teaching, as teachers can also teach students lifelong lessons that are not a part of the curriculum.
What qualifications or experience is needed to enter this career?
In order to enter this career, you must be finished high school and have received a diploma. Then, you must finish the BA or BS (Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science) and BEd (Bachelor of Education) program and successfully complete the interview process with the school and school board you are applying for. Other qualifications include having experience working with children and completing certain teachables for specific grade levels.
What is the best/most attractive aspect of this career?
In order to best describe the attractive aspects of this career, we are using quotes taken from our interviews with various elementary school teachers.
“Love the curiosity of the students. They are young so everything is new and exciting. Love seeing them experience something new.”
“They won't remember the lesson. They’ll remember how they felt- what made them laugh, what joke or game did they play.”
“My favourite role is to make them feel cared about and heard, make connections , find about their life and their families. Giving them tips and if they need anything I always tell them I'm always gonna be here.”
What is the least attractive aspect?
Not only is being a teacher a lot of responsibility, but it also means not being able to take holiday breaks. Breaks for teachers are only during summer, March break, and Christmas. Other than this, teachers are expected to be in the building and cannot ask for time off or given time off unless it is for a funeral/emergency. Unlike other career paths, teachers cannot take vacation holidays when they want.