Life As a Kindergarten Teacher
Job Description: Teach elemental natural and social science, personal hygiene, music, art, and literature to kindergarten students. Promote physical, mental, and social development. May be required to hold State certification.
Daily Life Of a Kindergarten Teacher
- Identify children showing signs of emotional, developmental, or health-related problems and discuss them with supervisors, parents or guardians, and child development specialists.
- Plan and conduct activities for a balanced program of instruction, demonstration, and work time that provides students with opportunities to observe, question, and investigate.
- Involve parent volunteers and older students in children’s activities to facilitate involvement in focused, complex play.
- Attend staff meetings and serve on committees as required.
- Establish and enforce rules for behavior and policies and procedures to maintain order among students.
- Read books to entire classes or to small groups.
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Kindergarten Teacher Skills
Below is a list of the skills most Kindergarten Teachers say are important on the job.
Instructing: Teaching others how to do something.
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Learning Strategies: Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Other Kindergarten Teacher Job Titles
- Kinder Teacher
- Art Teacher
- Kindergarten Teacher
- Kindergarten Classroom Teacher
- Bilingual Kindergarten Teacher
Are There Job Opportunities for Kindergarten Teachers?
There were about 154,400 jobs for Kindergarten Teacher in 2016 (in the United States). New jobs are being produced at a rate of 8% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 12,300 new jobs for Kindergarten Teacher by 2026. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 16,700 job openings in this field each year.

The states with the most job growth for Kindergarten Teacher are Utah, Colorado, and Nevada. Watch out if you plan on working in Connecticut, Vermont, or Maine. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Salary for a Kindergarten Teacher
Kindergarten Teachers make between $35,680 and $86,310 a year.

Kindergarten Teachers who work in Connecticut, New York, or Massachusetts, make the highest salaries.
How much do Kindergarten Teachers make in each U.S. state?
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $44,790 |
Alaska | $62,660 |
Arizona | $44,670 |
Arkansas | $46,180 |
California | $69,690 |
Colorado | $50,020 |
Connecticut | $77,220 |
Delaware | $60,140 |
District of Columbia | $54,940 |
Florida | $50,400 |
Georgia | $54,080 |
Hawaii | $36,170 |
Idaho | $50,790 |
Illinois | $55,660 |
Indiana | $51,290 |
Iowa | $53,200 |
Kansas | $51,230 |
Kentucky | $54,510 |
Louisiana | $50,540 |
Maine | $52,710 |
Maryland | $67,170 |
Massachusetts | $75,510 |
Michigan | $59,140 |
Minnesota | $60,580 |
Mississippi | $43,110 |
Missouri | $51,630 |
Montana | $52,730 |
Nebraska | $59,490 |
Nevada | $56,280 |
New Hampshire | $56,710 |
New Jersey | $67,400 |
New Mexico | $53,780 |
New York | $79,410 |
North Carolina | $46,490 |
North Dakota | $53,440 |
Ohio | $59,750 |
Oklahoma | $40,120 |
Oregon | $72,830 |
Pennsylvania | $62,510 |
Rhode Island | $65,530 |
South Carolina | $52,540 |
South Dakota | $41,900 |
Tennessee | $50,160 |
Texas | $54,780 |
Utah | $48,320 |
Vermont | $59,560 |
Virginia | $65,550 |
Washington | $62,330 |
West Virginia | $47,370 |
Wisconsin | $57,340 |
Wyoming | $57,390 |
What Tools do Kindergarten Teachers Use?
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Kindergarten Teachers:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Outlook
- Children’s educational software
How to Become a Kindergarten Teacher
Education needed to be a Kindergarten Teacher:

How many years of work experience do I need?

Where Kindergarten Teachers Work

The table below shows the approximate number of Kindergarten Teachers employed by various industries.

Other Jobs You May be Interested In
Those interested in being a Kindergarten Teacher may also be interested in:
Are you already one of the many Kindergarten Teacher in the United States? If you’re thinking about changing careers, these fields are worth exploring:
References:
Image Credit: Vgrigas via Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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