Elementary School Teacher job description: duties, skills and qualifications.

Core duties

16

O*NET task statements

Preparation

Job Zone 4 of 5

considerable preparation

Typical entry education

Bachelor's degree

BLS 2025–35

Median pay

$63,970

BLS May 2025

Data Government data groups this job as Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education (O*NET-SOC 25-2021.00). Figures on this page are for that occupation.

1. Instruct students individually and in groups, using teaching methods such as lectures, discussions, and demonstrations. importance 5.0 of 5
2. Establish and enforce rules for behavior and procedures for maintaining order among the students. importance 4.8 of 5
3. Guide and counsel students with adjustment or academic problems or with special academic interests. importance 4.8 of 5
4. Adapt teaching methods and instructional materials to meet students' varying needs and interests. importance 4.7 of 5
5. Plan and conduct activities for a balanced program of instruction, demonstration, and work time that provides students with opportunities to observe, question, and investigate. importance 4.6 of 5
6. Prepare materials and classrooms for class activities. importance 4.6 of 5
7. Read books to entire classes or small groups. importance 4.5 of 5
8. Observe and evaluate students' performance, behavior, social development, and physical health. importance 4.5 of 5
9. Confer with parents or guardians, teachers, counselors, and administrators to resolve students' behavioral and academic problems. importance 4.5 of 5
10. Meet with parents and guardians to discuss their children's progress and to determine priorities for their children and their resource needs. importance 4.5 of 5
11. Use computers, audio-visual aids, and other equipment and materials to supplement presentations. importance 4.5 of 5
12. Meet with other professionals to discuss individual students' needs and progress. importance 4.4 of 5
13. Establish clear objectives for all lessons, units, and projects and communicate those objectives to students. importance 4.4 of 5
14. Prepare and implement remedial programs for students requiring extra help. importance 4.3 of 5
15. Assign and grade class work and homework. importance 4.3 of 5
16. Prepare, administer, and grade tests and assignments to evaluate students' progress. importance 4.3 of 5

Work activities O*NET rates most important here: Training and Teaching Others, Assisting and Caring for Others, Working with Computers, Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships and Coaching and Developing Others.

Also part of the job

Supplemental tasks O*NET lists for this occupation: less central than the core duties above, and not done in every job.

• Provide students with disabilities with assistive devices, supportive technology, and assistance accessing facilities, such as restrooms.
• Sponsor extracurricular activities, such as clubs, student organizations, and academic contests.

Knowledge areas: English Language, Education and Training, Mathematics, Customer and Personal Service and Psychology.

Software O*NET lists for this occupation: Google Docs, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office software, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft SharePoint. These are examples O*NET records for the job, not a list of tools every employer uses or a checklist of what you must know.

• Education: BLS lists a bachelor's degree as the typical entry-level education.
• Experience: BLS lists no work experience in a related occupation as typical to enter.
• Training on the job: BLS lists no typical on-the-job training once hired.
• Preparation: O*NET places the job in Job Zone 4 of 5 (considerable preparation). A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations.
• Licenses and certifications: not listed here. A license is a legal requirement set by a state; a certification is a credential from a private or professional body. Rules vary by state and employer, and a missing entry on this page does not mean none is required: check with your state's licensing board and see how to become an elementary school teacher.

Most elementary school teachers surveyed by O*NET (78%) name a bachelor's degree as the education the job requires.

Job title: Elementary School Teacher
[Company] · [City, State] · [Full-time or part-time] · [Pay range, where your state requires one]

About the role
[Company] is hiring an Elementary School Teacher to teach academic and social skills to students at the elementary school level.
[One sentence on your team and why this role matters.]

What you will do
- Instruct students individually and in groups, using teaching methods such as lectures, discussions, and demonstrations.
- Establish and enforce rules for behavior and procedures for maintaining order among the students.
- Guide and counsel students with adjustment or academic problems or with special academic interests.
- Adapt teaching methods and instructional materials to meet students' varying needs and interests.
- Plan and conduct activities for a balanced program of instruction, demonstration, and work time that provides students with opportunities to observe, question, and investigate.
- Prepare materials and classrooms for class activities.
- Read books to entire classes or small groups.
- Observe and evaluate students' performance, behavior, social development, and physical health.

What we are looking for
- [Education: BLS lists a bachelor's degree as typical for this occupation; set the level this role truly needs]
- [Experience: BLS lists no related work experience as typical to enter; set what this role needs]
- Strength in instructing, learning strategies and speaking
- Working knowledge of English Language and Education and Training
- [Software your team uses, e.g. Google Docs or Microsoft Excel]
- [Any license or certification your state or company requires]

[Schedule, benefits and how to apply]

Illustrative: every name, employer, school, date and number in these samples is fictional or a bracketed placeholder. Replace each bracket with your own true details; never copy a result you did not achieve.

Not a real job posting. This template is TryHired's illustration built from government occupational data. It is not an opening at any employer, and no employer wrote it.

The median annual wage was $63,970 in May 2025. BLS publishes annual wages only for this occupation, so no hourly figure is shown. BLS estimates about 1,388,390 jobs in this occupation in the U.S.

BLS projects employment of Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education to decline 0.4% from 2025 to 2035, with about 87,500 openings a year over that period, including openings to replace workers who leave.

See the full elementary school teacher salary breakdown by percentile, state and metro.

• Read a real elementary school teacher posting next to the core duties above. Duties it repeats, such as “Instruct students individually and in groups, using teaching methods…”, tell you what that employer weighs most; anything it adds is specific to that team.
• Tailor your resume to the posting, not to this page: describe only elementary school teacher work you have actually done, with your own results.
• Prepare a story for each of the top-rated skills (instructing and learning strategies); elementary school teacher interview questions turns them into practice questions.