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Preschool Teacher

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What Do Preschool Teacher Do?

Position Description Instruct preschool-aged children in activities designed to promote social, physical, and intellectual growth needed for primary school in preschool, day care center, or other child development facility. May be required to hold State certification.

Daily Life Of a Preschool Teacher

  • Organize and lead activities designed to promote physical, mental, and social development, such as games, arts and crafts, music, storytelling, and field trips.
  • Perform administrative duties, such as hall and cafeteria monitoring and bus loading and unloading.
  • Provide a variety of materials and resources for children to explore, manipulate, and use, both in learning activities and in imaginative play.
  • Meet with other professionals to discuss individual students’ needs and progress.
  • Attend professional meetings, educational conferences, and teacher training workshops to maintain and improve professional competence.
  • Establish and enforce rules for behavior and procedures for maintaining order.

Qualities of a Preschool Teacher

Below is a list of the skills most Preschool Teachers say are important on the job.

Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Instructing: Teaching others how to do something.

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.

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

Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

  • Daycare Teacher
  • 2 Year Olds Preschool Teacher
  • Prekindergarten Teacher
  • Group Teacher
  • Childcare Teacher

Job Demand for Preschool Teachers

In the United States, there were 478,500 jobs for Preschool Teacher in 2016. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 10.5% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 50,100 new jobs for Preschool Teacher by 2026. There will be an estimated 53,600 positions for Preschool Teacher per year.

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The states with the most job growth for Preschool Teacher are Utah, Colorado, and Arizona. Watch out if you plan on working in Maine, Wyoming, or Rhode Island. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.

Preschool Teacher Salary

The average yearly salary of a Preschool Teacher ranges between $20,610 and $55,350.

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Preschool Teachers who work in New York, Hawaii, or District of Columbia, make the highest salaries.

How much do Preschool Teachers make in each U.S. state?

State Annual Mean Salary
Alabama $24,800
Alaska $36,210
Arizona $31,010
Arkansas $33,150
California $37,850
Colorado $33,140
Connecticut $43,350
Delaware $28,910
District of Columbia $42,060
Florida $27,990
Georgia $30,910
Hawaii $39,560
Idaho $26,000
Illinois $31,500
Indiana $27,250
Iowa $27,030
Kansas $31,560
Kentucky $33,650
Louisiana $32,290
Maine $35,560
Maryland $38,440
Massachusetts $39,180
Michigan $35,010
Minnesota $37,500
Mississippi $27,940
Missouri $30,440
Montana $31,160
Nebraska $37,980
Nevada $32,540
New Hampshire $30,860
New Jersey $40,880
New Mexico $34,100
New York $48,630
North Carolina $28,260
North Dakota $28,220
Ohio $29,020
Oklahoma $29,310
Oregon $30,400
Pennsylvania $29,250
Rhode Island $32,400
South Carolina $28,940
South Dakota $30,860
Tennessee $32,630
Texas $34,960
Utah $29,700
Vermont $34,290
Virginia $37,880
Washington $32,960
West Virginia $32,560
Wisconsin $26,550
Wyoming $32,610

Tools & Technologies Used by Preschool Teachers

Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Preschool Teachers:

  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Word
  • Microsoft Office
  • Data entry software
  • Email software
  • Children’s educational software

How do I Become a Preschool Teacher?

What education is needed to be a Preschool Teacher?

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How many years of work experience do I need?

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Where Preschool Teachers Work

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The table below shows the approximate number of Preschool Teachers employed by various industries.

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

References:

Image Credit: Vgrigas via Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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