Elementary School and Kindergarten Teachers

Nature of work

Elementary school and kindergarten teachers teach basic subjects such as reading, writing and arithmetic or specialized subjects such as English or French as a second language at public and private elementary schools. Elementary school in kindergarten teachers may specialize in such areas as special education or second language instruction.

Job duties

Elementary school and kindergarten teachers perform some or all of the following duties:

• Plan instructional goals and designated outcomes for all students and clearly communicate to those learners.
• Use a variety of teaching strategies such as group work, lecture, mini-lessons, exploration, questioning, discussion, and other cooperative teaching techniques.
• Lead students in activities to promote their physical, mental and social development and their school readiness.
• Assign and correct homework.
• Prepare, administer and correct tests.
• Use a variety of assessment strategies to evaluate the progress of students and discuss results with students, parents, and school officials.
• Identify children's individual learning needs and adapt curriculum to meet the needs of students.
• Contribute to and manage an individual program plan for students with special needs.
• Maintain records for such things as student attendance, evaluations, report cards, discipline records, and other related documents.
• Plan and implement appropriate classroom management strategies and techniques to ensure productive, interesting, respectful, and safe classrooms.
• Apply appropriate consequences for inappropriate student behavior.
• Communicate effectively with students, staff, parents, community and outside agencies to better meet with the needs of students.
• Participate in staff meetings, educational conferences and teacher training workshops.
• May supervise teachers' aides and student teachers.

Sample job titles

• behaviour support teacher
• early literacy teacher
• elementary school teacher
• English as an additional language teacher - elementary school
• French immersion teacher - elementary school
• learning centre teacher
• Reading Recovery® teacher
• resource teacher
• special needs teacher - elementary school

Skills

To work in this field, you should be patient, imaginative, objective, and resourceful. Leadership skills and the ability to motivate students are important. You must be able to communicate ideas in a clear, concise, and interesting way. Planning and organizational skills are also necessary. Energy and stamina are often needed, as a teacher's workday involves more than just school hours. You must have the ability to demonstrate fair and ethical judgements and maintain confidentiality as the norm. Teachers must be knowledgeable about their subjects and keep informed of new material and methods of teaching.

Job requirements

• A bachelor's degree in education is required.
• A bachelor's degree in child development may be required.
• Additional training, often at a master's level, is required to specialize in special education or second language instruction.
• Reading Recovery® teachers require current certification as a Trained Reading Recovery® teacher in accordance with the requirements of the Canadian Institute of Reading Recovery®.
• A provincial teaching certificate is required. Additional certification is required to teach English or French as a second language.
• Membership in a provincial teachers' association or union is usually required.

Other considerations

Progression to education consultant or school principal is possible with experience.

Regulations

Contacts

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