Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education

Career Overview

Teach academic and social skills to kindergarten students.

Also Known As

• Bilingual Kindergarten Teacher
• Classroom Teacher
• Kinder Teacher
• Teacher

Alternate Job Titles

• Art Teacher
• Bilingual Education Teacher
• Bilingual Kindergarten Teacher
• Classroom Teacher
• Early Childhood Teacher
• Educator
• Instructor
• Kinder Teacher
• Kindergarten Classroom Teacher
• Long Term Substitute Kindergarten Teacher
• Montessori Teacher
• Physical Education Teacher (PE Teacher)
• Physical Fitness Teacher
• Private Kindergarten Teacher
• Teacher

What You'll Do

In this role, your typical responsibilities include:

• Establish and enforce rules for behavior and policies and procedures to maintain order among students.
• Prepare children for later grades by encouraging them to explore learning opportunities and to persevere with challenging tasks.
• 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.
• Read books to entire classes or to small groups.
• Guide and counsel students with adjustment or academic problems or special academic interests.

Knowledge You'll Use

You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:

• Education and Training
• English Language
• Psychology
• Mathematics
• Customer and Personal Service

Essential Skills

Success in this career requires strong skills in:

1. Social Perceptiveness
2. Instructing
3. Active Listening
4. Speaking
5. Learning Strategies
6. Monitoring
7. Reading Comprehension
8. Coordination
9. Time Management
10. Service Orientation

Key Abilities

This career requires key abilities in:

• Oral Expression
• Written Comprehension
• Oral Comprehension
• Problem Sensitivity
• Speech Clarity
• Written Expression
• Fluency of Ideas
• Speech Recognition
• Inductive Reasoning
• Deductive Reasoning

Work Style

People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:

• Optimism
• Cooperation
• Dependability
• Empathy
• Social Orientation

What Matters in This Career

This career tends to satisfy these work values:

• Relationships
• Achievement
• Working Conditions
• Independence
• Recognition

Education & Preparation

Typical Education: Bachelor's Degree

On-the-Job Training: Over 6 months, up to and including 1 year

Education Details: Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.

Experience Required: A considerable amount 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.

Technology You'll Use

Popular Technologies & Software

• Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft Office software
• Microsoft Outlook
• Microsoft PowerPoint
• Microsoft Word

Tools & Equipment

• Audiotape players
• Compact digital cameras
• Compact disk CD players
• Computer laser printers
• Desktop computers
• Educational board games
• Intercom systems
• Laminating machines
• Laptop computers
• Overhead display projectors
• Pegboards
• Personal computers
• Sand tables
• Science activity kits
• Television monitors

Work Environment

• E-Mail
• Contact With Others
• Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
• Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
• Physical Proximity

Salary & Job Market

Salary Percentile	Annual Wage
Entry-Level (10th percentile)	$45,750
Median	$61,430
Top Earners (90th percentile)	$99,360

Workers Employed Nationally: 114,410

Related Careers

If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:

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Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.