Life As a Kindergarten Teacher

Position 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.

What do Kindergarten Teachers do On a Daily Basis?

• Provide disabled students with assistive devices, supportive technology, and assistance accessing facilities, such as restrooms.
• Organize and lead activities designed to promote physical, mental, and social development, such as games, arts and crafts, music, and storytelling.
• Prepare materials, classrooms, and other indoor and outdoor spaces to facilitate creative play, learning and motor-skill activities, and safety.
• Establish and enforce rules for behavior and policies and procedures to maintain order among students.
• Perform administrative duties, such as assisting in school libraries, hall and cafeteria monitoring, and bus loading and unloading.
• Teach basic skills, such as color, shape, number and letter recognition, personal hygiene, and social skills.

What Skills Do You Need to Work as a Kindergarten Teacher?

Kindergarten Teachers state the following job skills are important in their day-to-day work.

Instructing: Teaching others how to do something.

Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

Learning Strategies: Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.

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.

Types of Kindergarten Teacher Jobs

• Teacher
• Kindergarten Classroom Teacher
• Art Teacher
• Early Childhood Teacher
• Kinder Teacher

Are There Job Opportunities for Kindergarten Teachers?

There were about 154,400 jobs for Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education in 2016 (in the United States).

New jobs are being produced at a rate of 7.9% which is lower than average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 12,300 new jobs for Kindergarten Teachers by 2026. The BLS estimates 16,700 yearly job openings in this field per year.

The states with the most job growth for Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education are Texas, Washington, and Florida.

Watch out if you plan on working in Connecticut, Maine, or Vermont. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.

Kindergarten Teacher Salary

The average yearly salary of a Kindergarten Teacher ranges between $35,680 and $86,310. A Kindergarten Teacher median salary is $55,470.

Below is a list of the median annual salaries for jobs of this type in different U.S. states.

Annual Mean Salary by State

State	Annual Mean Salary
New York	$79,410
Connecticut	$77,220
Massachusetts	$75,510
Oregon	$72,830
California	$69,690
New Jersey	$67,400
Maryland	$67,170
Virginia	$65,550
Rhode Island	$65,530
Alaska	$62,660
Pennsylvania	$62,510
Washington	$62,330
Minnesota	$60,580
Delaware	$60,140
Ohio	$59,750
Vermont	$59,560
Nebraska	$59,490
Michigan	$59,140
Wyoming	$57,390
Wisconsin	$57,340
New Hampshire	$56,710
Nevada	$56,280
Illinois	$55,660
District of Columbia	$54,940
Texas	$54,780
Kentucky	$54,510
Georgia	$54,080
New Mexico	$53,780
North Dakota	$53,440
Iowa	$53,200
Montana	$52,730
Maine	$52,710
South Carolina	$52,540
Missouri	$51,630
Indiana	$51,290
Kansas	$51,230
Idaho	$50,790
Louisiana	$50,540
Florida	$50,400
Tennessee	$50,160
Colorado	$50,020
Utah	$48,320
West Virginia	$47,370
North Carolina	$46,490
Arkansas	$46,180
Alabama	$44,790
Arizona	$44,670
Mississippi	$43,110
South Dakota	$41,900
Oklahoma	$40,120
Hawaii	$36,170

What Tools & Technology 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 Outlook
• Microsoft PowerPoint
• Microsoft Office
• Microsoft Word

Becoming a Kindergarten Teacher

Individuals working as Kindergarten Teachers have obtained the following education levels:

How many years of work experience do I need?

Where do Kindergarten Teachers Work?

You May Also Be Interested In…

Those thinking about becoming Kindergarten Teachers might also be interested in the following careers:

• Social and Community Service Managers

Are you already one of the many Kindergarten Teachers in the United States? If you’re thinking about changing careers, these fields are worth exploring:

• Special Education Teachers, Secondary School

References

Bureau of Labor Statistics

College Factual

O*NET Online

Image Credit: Via Wikimedia Commons