Career Overview
Instruct preschool-aged students, following curricula or lesson plans, in activities designed to promote social, physical, and intellectual growth.
Also Known As
- Montessori Preschool Teacher
- Pre-Kindergarten Teacher (Pre-K Teacher)
- Teacher
- Toddler Teacher
Alternate Job Titles
- After School Teacher
- Child Care Assistant Teacher
- Child Development Teacher
- Childcare Teacher
- Childhood Development Teacher
- Day Care Teacher
- Daycare Teacher
- Early Childhood Educator
- Early Childhood Teacher
- Group Teacher
- Home-Based Preschool Teacher
- Infant Teacher
- Montessori Paraprofessional
- Montessori Preschool Teacher
- Montessori Teacher
What You'll Do
In this role, your typical responsibilities include:
- Teach basic skills, such as color, shape, number and letter recognition, personal hygiene, and social skills.
- Establish and enforce rules for behavior and procedures for maintaining order.
- Adapt teaching methods and instructional materials to meet students' varying needs and interests.
- Provide a variety of materials and resources for children to explore, manipulate, and use, both in learning activities and in imaginative play.
- Serve meals and snacks in accordance with nutritional guidelines.
- Attend to children's basic needs by feeding them, dressing them, and changing their diapers.
- Meet with parents and guardians to discuss their children's progress and needs, determine their priorities for their children, and suggest ways that they can promote learning and development.
Knowledge You'll Use
You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:
- Education and Training
- English Language
Essential Skills
Success in this career requires strong skills in:
- Speaking
- Instructing
- Active Listening
- Learning Strategies
- Reading Comprehension
- Critical Thinking
- Monitoring
- Social Perceptiveness
- Coordination
- Service Orientation
Key Abilities
This career requires key abilities in:
- Oral Comprehension
- Oral Expression
- Speech Clarity
- Problem Sensitivity
- Originality
- Fluency of Ideas
- Written Comprehension
- Speech Recognition
- Deductive Reasoning
- Near Vision
Work Style
People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:
- Cooperation
- Dependability
- Empathy
- Optimism
- Social Orientation
What Matters in This Career
This career tends to satisfy these work values:
- Relationships
- Achievement
- Independence
- Working Conditions
- Support
Education & Preparation
Typical Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Related Work Experience Needed: Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years
On-the-Job Training: Anything beyond short demonstration, up to and including 1 month
Education Details: Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Experience Required: Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
Technology You'll Use
Popular Technologies & Software
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Word
Tools & Equipment
- Compact digital cameras
- Compact disk CD players
- Desktop computers
- Educational board games
- Educational puzzles
- Educational toys
- Emergency first aid kits
- Pegboards
- Personal computers
- Photocopying equipment
- Play structures
- Sand tables
- Toy block sets
- Water tables
Work Environment
- Contact With Others
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Physical Proximity
Salary & Job Market
| Salary Percentile | Annual Wage |
|---|---|
| Entry-Level (10th percentile) | $28,300 |
| Median | $37,120 |
| Top Earners (90th percentile) | $60,070 |
Workers Employed Nationally: 445,080
Related Careers
If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:
Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $61,430
Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten
Education: Not specified
Median Salary: Varies
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $62,340
Special Education Teachers, Preschool
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $62,190
Special Education Teachers, Secondary School
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $69,590
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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.