If you are an excellent communicator and possess a great deal of patience then perhaps a career as a teacher is a good fit for you! Teachers help students learn how best to interact with others, adapt to new technology, and how to think through problems logically. They provide the tools and the environment for their students to develop crucial life skills.

It is the teacher’s job to plan, evaluate, and assign lessons. They also prepare, administer and grade tests, listen to oral presentations, and maintain classroom discipline. They observe and evaluate each student's performance and potential through numerous assessment methods. As a result, teachers help students develop new skills and enable them to gain an appreciation of knowledge and learning which can be extremely rewarding.

Early childhood educators are most desirable when they possess at least a Bachelor’s degree in early childhood education. The same is true for teachers in the public school system, with a degree in education with a particular focus.

While public school teachers typically need state licensing to be qualified to teach, private schools do not have to meet the same licensing standards. This being said, schools prefer candidates who have a bachelor’s degree in the subject they intend to teach for secondary school teachers, or in childhood education for elementary school teachers.

They seek candidates among recent college graduates as well as from those who have established careers in other fields. Private schools affiliated with religious institutions also desire candidates who share the values that are important to the institution.

The undergraduate bachelor’s degree typically requires 4 years of study, while graduate degrees require additional years of study. A Masters or a PhD only increase a teacher’s salary and demand in the job market. It is a great career choice for individuals interested both in teaching as well as the ability to make significant reforms in curriculum and school administration.

School attendance is compulsory until at least age 16 throughout the United States. As a result, elementary, middle, and secondary schools are the most numerous of all educational establishments. Some secondary schools offer a mixture of academic and career and technical instruction. As a result there is a need for teachers interested in a wide variety of subjects.

Teachers typically have good job security and the career offers optimistic estimates for future growth. The US Department of Labor estimates growth of up to 17% for jobs in the educational services industry, through to the year 2014.

Salary is commensurate with education and experience. The median annual earnings of all postsecondary teachers in May 2004 were $51,800. Median annual earnings of kindergarten, elementary, middle, and secondary school teachers ranged from $41,400 to $45,920 in May 2004. Early childhood educators earned the least as of May 2004 with median annual earnings of $20,980.

Most elementary school teachers instruct one class of children in several subjects. In some schools, two or more teachers work as a team and are jointly responsible for a group of students in at least one subject. In other schools, a teacher may teach one special subject—usually music, art, reading, science, arithmetic, or physical education—to a number of classes. A small but growing number of teachers instruct multilevel classrooms, with students at several different learning levels.

Elementary school teachers need to be patient and flexible as well as excellent communicators. It is important for them to conduct themselves with discretion as they model appropriate behavior to young students It is also important for elementary school teachers to be attuned to the needs of their students in order to better identify possible issues that any single individual might have both mentally and socially.

Secondary teachers have the task of educating students in college preparatory courses or in vocational skills. High school teachers occasionally teach courses that are in high demand by area employers, who may provide input into the curriculum and offer internships to students. Many vocational teachers play an active role in building and overseeing these partnerships. Additional responsibilities of secondary school teachers may include career guidance and job placement, as well as follow-ups with students after graduation.

Excellent secondary teachers are both knowledgeable about the subjects that they teach as well as aware of the individual needs of their students. Often in secondary school courses students vary in aptitude and teachers must gage their classes to incorporate the numerous levels of learning.

Substitute teachers play a vital role in the educational system. In the event that a full time teacher must be absent from their position, they prepare a lesson plan for a substitute teacher to present. It is the job of the substitute to execute the lesson plan and make sure that the teacher’s classes progress and understand the material.

Substitute teaching provides great work experience to future teachers who are interested in gaining a better understanding of what being in the classroom is really like. Additionally it proves to be a great booster to a future teacher’s resume if one intends to apply for a permanent teaching position because it demonstrates that he or she already has hands on teaching experience.

The job is appealing because the work schedule is extremely flexible. A substitute teacher has the ability to choose which days he or she would like to work as well as the school’s location. Additionally, the compensation is very competitive with other part-time jobs. It also is a way to form connections with people in the educational profession which can help qualified substitutes obtain permanent positions in a school district.

Librarians perform research, classify materials, and help students and library patrons seek information. Increasingly they use information technology to assist them with these duties. Therefore, head librarians typically require a Master’s degree in library science. Special librarians may need an additional graduate or professional degree. It is estimated that a large number of retirements will occur in the next decade. As a result many job openings for librarians are expected in order to replace those who leave the profession.

Library technicians are responsible for maintaining circulation and information systems. Their job duties have also become extremely dependent on information technology. Job growth should continue but may only be moderate due to many libraries’ budgetary constraints.

Employment should grow rapidly in special libraries because the growing numbers of professionals rely on such libraries. Training to be a library technician is less involved than to be a librarian. Typical requirements range from a high school diploma to an associate degree, but computer skills are necessary for all library workers.

Teacher assistants provide instructional and clerical support for classroom teachers, allowing teachers more time for lesson planning and teaching. Teacher assistants often assist smaller groups of students or work with individuals one on one to provide them with more individualized attention.

They tutor and assist children in learning class material using the teacher’s lesson plans. Teacher assistants also supervise students in the cafeteria, schoolyard, and hallways, or on field trips. They record grades, set up equipment, and help prepare materials for instruction.

Teachers often delegate more menial responsibilities to teacher assistants. Therefore, teacher assistants do not require the same level of training as head teachers. Training for a position of teacher assistant may only require a high school diploma or an associate degree. It is important for a teacher assistant to be knowledgeable about the curriculum and possess patience, understanding, and be able to impart the importance of learning on the students.