Job Description of a Secondary English Teacher
Teaching has its drawbacks. The hours tend to be long. The job duties and daily responsibilities are vast. Some students are unmotivated or undisciplined, and on top of that, salary figures are less than stellar. Nonetheless teaching secondary school has its rewards, too.
All teachers help shape young minds, but secondary teachers play a particularly important role. High school is usually a student’s last educational stop before venturing out into the world or taking their studies to the next level. It can be very rewarding to guide these students through this crucial point in their lives and watch them mature into young adults.
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Classroom Duties
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Secondary English teachers strengthen their students’ reading comprehension, grammar and writing skills. High school English teachers also provide teens with the skills necessary to appreciate and critique literature. To accomplish these goals, teachers must develop and execute classroom lessons, assign relevant coursework, create and administer exams and evaluate student performance. Teachers are also tasked with maintaining classroom discipline.
Counseling Duties
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Teachers at the secondary level may offer career guidance and job placement assistance. This ensures that students who decide not to continue their education have a smooth transition into the job market. It is also a teacher’s responsibility to keep parents informed about their child's progress and potential. This is often accomplished by arranging regular teacher-parent conferences.
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Other Duties
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Secondary English teachers frequently supervise students involved in English-related extracurricular activities. For example, English teachers may train the school’s debate team or serve as the supervising editor for the yearbook committee. Teachers may also be put in charge of organizing fundraisers and often accompany students on class and team field trips.
Employers and Work Environment
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Teachers are employed by traditional public schools, private institutions and charter schools. Most day-to-day work activities are performed in a classroom setting, although some public and private secondary schools now offer online classes. Teachers instructing students through online courses may work from offices. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), most teachers work more than 40 hours a week.
Salary
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According to the BLS, the mean annual wage for secondary teachers was $55,150 in 2009. The overall salary range was not exceptionally vast; the middle half of all reported salaries fell between $42,070 and $66,110. BLS salary figures indicate teachers saw a modest 0.6 percent wage increase from the previous year. BLS experts say teachers in New York, Illinois and Alaska enjoyed the greatest earning potential. The annual mean wage for secondary teachers for each of these states is more than $67,500.
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References
- Photo Credit teachers marking image by Christopher Hall from Fotolia.com
