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Career Details

25-2012.00 - Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education


Teach academic and social skills to kindergarten students.


Key Facts
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Bright Outlook
Career Details
Green Job
Career Details
Current Employment
159,400
Estimate
Forecasted Employment
168,900
Estimate
Change in Employment
+9,500
Estimate
Change in Employment %
+5.9%
Estimate
Tasks
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Tasks
The tasks listed below can be performed to prepare you for a career in this field.
Core
  • Teach basic skills, such as color, shape, number and letter recognition, personal hygiene, and social skills.
  • Establish and enforce rules for behavior and policies and procedures to maintain order among students.
  • Observe and evaluate children's performance, behavior, social development, and physical health.
  • Instruct students individually and in groups, adapting teaching methods to meet students' varying needs and interests.
  • Read books to entire classes or to small groups.
  • Demonstrate activities to children.
  • Provide a variety of materials and resources for children to explore, manipulate, and use, both in learning activities and in imaginative play.
  • Plan and conduct activities for a balanced program of instruction, demonstration, and work time that provides students with opportunities to observe, question, and investigate.
  • Confer with parents or guardians, other teachers, counselors, and administrators to resolve students' behavioral and academic problems.
  • Prepare children for later grades by encouraging them to explore learning opportunities and to persevere with challenging tasks.
  • Establish clear objectives for all lessons, units, and projects and communicate those objectives to children.
  • Prepare and implement remedial programs for students requiring extra help.
  • Meet with parents and guardians to discuss their children's progress and to determine their priorities for their children and their resource needs.
  • Organize and lead activities designed to promote physical, mental, and social development, such as games, arts and crafts, music, and storytelling.
  • Prepare objectives and outlines for courses of study, following curriculum guidelines or requirements of states and schools.
  • Guide and counsel students with adjustment or academic problems or special academic interests.
  • Instruct and monitor students in the use and care of equipment and materials to prevent injuries and damage.
  • Identify children showing signs of emotional, developmental, or health-related problems and discuss them with supervisors, parents or guardians, and child development specialists.
  • Assimilate arriving children to the school environment by greeting them, helping them remove outerwear, and selecting activities of interest to them.
  • Maintain accurate and complete student records and prepare reports on children and activities as required by laws, district policies, and administrative regulations.
  • Prepare materials, classrooms, and other indoor and outdoor spaces to facilitate creative play, learning and motor-skill activities, and safety.
  • Collaborate with other teachers and administrators in the development, evaluation, and revision of kindergarten programs.
  • Prepare, administer, and grade tests and assignments to evaluate children's progress.
  • Meet with other professionals to discuss individual students' needs and progress.
  • Organize and label materials and display children's work in a manner appropriate for their sizes and perceptual skills.
  • Confer with other staff members to plan and schedule lessons promoting learning, following approved curricula.
  • Supervise, evaluate, and plan assignments for teacher assistants and volunteers.
  • Administer standardized ability and achievement tests and interpret results to determine children's developmental levels and needs.
  • Prepare for assigned classes and show written evidence of preparation upon request of immediate supervisors.
  • Use computers, audio-visual aids, and other equipment and materials to supplement presentations.
  • Plan and supervise class projects, field trips, visits by guests, or other experiential activities and guide students in learning from those activities.
  • Involve parent volunteers and older students in children's activities to facilitate involvement in focused, complex play.
  • Attend professional meetings, educational conferences, and teacher training workshops to maintain and improve professional competence.
  • Perform administrative duties, such as assisting in school libraries, hall and cafeteria monitoring, and bus loading and unloading.
  • Attend staff meetings and serve on committees as required.
  • Select, store, order, issue, and inventory classroom equipment, materials, and supplies.
Supplemental
  • Provide disabled students with assistive devices, supportive technology, and assistance accessing facilities, such as restrooms.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Knowledge
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Knowledge

The items listed below are organized into sections that contain knowledge useful for pursuing a career in this field. Each section also contains a "Percentage of Importance" statistic that shows how relevant an item is to the occupation.
 Education and Training
  • 94%
    Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
 English Language
  • 92%
    Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
 Psychology
  • 79%
    Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
 Mathematics
  • 77%
    Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
 Customer and Personal Service
  • 71%
    Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
 Sociology and Anthropology
  • 67%
    Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures and their history and origins.
 Public Safety and Security
  • 66%
    Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
 Clerical
  • 66%
    Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
 Therapy and Counseling
  • 65%
    Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.
 Computers and Electronics
  • 64%
    Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
 Geography
  • 63%
    Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.
 History and Archeology
  • 59%
    Knowledge of historical events and their causes, indicators, and effects on civilizations and cultures.
 Philosophy and Theology
  • 59%
    Knowledge of different philosophical systems and religions. This includes their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and their impact on human culture.
 Administration and Management
  • 58%
    Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
 Communications and Media
  • 53%
    Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
 Fine Arts
  • 52%
    Knowledge of the theory and techniques required to compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Tools
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Tools
The tools listed below include machines, equipment, tools, and software that is useful for individuals who are interested in this career.
 Audio and visual equipment
  • Audiotape players
  • Compact disk CD players
  • Television monitors
  • Video cassette recorders VCR
 Cameras
  • Compact digital cameras
 Computer printers
  • Computer laser printers
 Computers
  • Desktop computers
  • Laptop computers
  • Personal computers
 Games
  • Educational board games
 Projectors and supplies
  • Overhead display projectors
 Sculpture supplies and accessories
  • Pegboards
  • Sand tables
  • Water tables
 Toys
  • Science activity kits
  • Toy block sets
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Technology
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Technology
The technologies listed below include machines, equipment, tools, and software that is useful for individuals who are interested in this career.
 Educational or reference software
  • Children's educational software
  • Padlet
  • Seesaw
 Content authoring and editing software
  • Microsoft ExcelHOT
  • Microsoft PowerPointHOT
  • Microsoft WordHOT
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Certifications
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Certifications
The certifications listed below are useful to pursue if you are interested in a career in this field.
 Specialty
 Core
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Licensing
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Licensing
The licensing information below is organized into sections and is useful for pursuing if you are interested in a career in this field.
No specific licensing information is listed for this occupation in the area you have selected.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Related Programs
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Online Programs related to this career, offered by participating institution(s), are listed below.

Clicking on the Degree programs in the list below will take you away from the Careers page.
INSTITUTION
PROGRAMS
Brightpoint Community College
Eastern Shore Community College
J Sargeant Reynolds Community College
Laurel Ridge Community College
Mountain Gateway Community College
Northern Virginia Community College
Paul D. Camp Community College
Rappahannock Community College
Virginia Highlands Community College
Virginia Western Community College
Wytheville Community College