Secondary school teachers help students prepare for life after high school, from taking college entrance exams to getting ready for a career. They specialize in teaching seventh to twelfth grade students a single subject, such as English, physical education, science, or music. Secondary school teachers must adapt to students' varied abilities, including limited English proficiency, learning disabilities, and emotional or behavioral disorders. During open periods in their day, teachers plan lessons, grade assignments, and meet with other teachers and staff. They may post grades and assignments on school websites. Some high school teachers coach sports and advise clubs and other groups after school. Teaching can be challenging, especially where classes are large and important resources are in short supply. Teachers are often held accountable for students’ performance on standardized tests, and at times, must go to great lengths to engage students and maintain a respectful learning environment. Communication skills, patience, and resourcefulness… are important characteristics in this career. Teachers generally work a ten-month school year with a two-month break for summer, although some teach summer programs. A bachelor’s degree is required to enter this field, along with state certification or licensure to work at public schools. Candidates must also pass a test in their subject area. The payoff for teachers' commitment is seeing students develop a strong foundation for their future.
What they do:
Teach one or more subjects to students at the middle, intermediate, or junior high school level.
On the job, you would:
Prepare students for later grades by encouraging them to explore learning opportunities and to persevere with challenging tasks.
Adapt teaching methods and instructional materials to meet students' varying needs and interests.
Establish clear objectives for all lessons, units, and projects, and communicate these objectives to students.
Arts and Humanities
English language
history and archeology
Education and Training
teaching and course design
Business
customer service
management
Math and Science
psychology
Basic Skills
talking to others
listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions
Problem Solving
noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it
Social
teaching people how to do something
understanding people's reactions
Verbal
communicate by speaking
listen and understand what people say
Ideas and Logic
notice when problems happen
use rules to solve problems
People interested in this work like activities that include helping people, teaching, and talking.
They do well at jobs that need:
Dependability
Integrity
Adaptability/Flexibility
Cooperation
Self Control
Stress Tolerance
You might use software like this on the job:
Electronic mail software
Email software
Microsoft Outlook
Computer based training software
Moodle
Schoology
Video creation and editing software
Flipgrid
Screencastify
bachelor's degree or certificate after college usually needed
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