Teacher (Secondary)

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Work Tasks

• Help students learn more about a certain subject
• Plan lessons, write tests, grade papers, and fill out report cards
• Keep classroom order, meet with parents, and go to meetings
• Lecture, explain work, use computers, projectors, and other methods to teach their subject
• Work in classrooms in public and private schools, and parochial schools
• Work with text and reference books, workbooks, audiovisual equipment, computers, technology systems, tests, quizzes, reports (oral and written), attendance records, grades, and other student records

Salary, Size & Growth

• $54,000 average per year ($26.00 per hour)
• A very large occupation (1,053,100 workers in 2010)
• Expected to grow moderately (0.9% per year)

Education/Training

• Minimum for Entry: A 4-year degree and coursework in the subject you will be teaching
• Employers Prefer: A certificate in teacher education and a master's degree
• Skills/Courses: Most states require a 4-year degree in the subject area(s) you will teach, courses on how to teach, and supervised student-teaching. In some states, the teacher training courses are included in the 4-year degree, and in other states a fifth year is required.
• Licensing/Certification: A certificate or license is required.