Secondary Teacher Position Description

Secondary teacher description.

A secondary school teacher works with high school students and is responsible for administering and teaching a nationally based curriculum. He may teach a specific subject, such as math, science or history. A secondary school teacher may also provide information to their students regarding choosing the right college. According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics (BLS), secondary school teachers held about 1.1 million jobs in 2008.

Education

Secondary teachers are required to complete a bachelor's degree and receive a license to teach. College courses include math, physical science, social science and other professional education courses. Those desiring to be a secondary teacher usually major in the subject that they wish to teach. Many teaching programs require that the teaching student perform a teaching internship. Some states allow prospective teachers to participate in a one-year supervised program after they complete their bachelor's degree.

Benefits

When teachers have completed a probationary period of usually three years, they will be considered a tenured teacher. A tenured teacher is protected under laws that prevent then from being fired without a good reason. Most secondary teachers work the 10-month school year and have a two-month summer vacation. Many use this two-month period to vacation or take college courses to further their education.

Skills

Secondary teachers must be patient since they are working with students. They should also have good organizational skills that are helpful in organizing lesson plans, grading homework and presenting assignments. They should also have the ability to train others.

Warning

Secondary teachers may experience stress when dealing with students who have behavior disorders. Some may deal with oversize classes and attempt to manage them with little resources. They may also feel pressure when trying to meet standardized test score expectations. In some cases, teachers may also witness violence in schools. In addition, most are usually alone without any help throughout the day to manage their students.

Salary

BLS reported that the median wage of secondary teachers range from $47,100 to $51,180 in May 2008, the lowest 10 percent earned $30,970 to $34,280 and the top 10 percent earned $75,190 to $80,970. In addition, many secondary school teachers belong to unions, such as the American Federation of Teachers and the National Education Association. These organizations bargain with school systems over teacher salaries, work hours and other conditions of employment. Teachers may also receive extra pay for coaching sports. Many also earn extra income teaching summer school.

Prospects

Employment for secondary teachers was expected to grow 13 percent between 2010 and 2018, according to the BLS. Many positions will become available as a result of teachers retiring or those leaving the profession to pursue other careers.

References

• BLS: Secondary teachers