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General education teacher vs first grade teacher

The differences between general education teachers and first grade teachers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a first grade teacher has an average salary of $49,757, which is higher than the $36,253 average annual salary of a general education teacher.

The top three skills for a general education teacher include classroom management, professional development and mathematics. The most important skills for a first grade teacher are classroom management, math, and social studies.

General education teacher vs first grade teacher overview

General Education TeacherFirst Grade Teacher
Yearly salary$36,253$49,757
Hourly rate$17.43$23.92
Growth rate4%4%
Number of jobs101,12470,517
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 67%Bachelor's Degree, 74%
Average age4342
Years of experience--

What does a general education teacher do?

A general education teacher teaches all students in a general education classroom a primary academic curriculum. They are tasked with the implementation of any modifications that affect a general classroom. They may also be expected to conduct academic assessments for all students to check their progress in the classroom. They may also have to conduct regular consultations with students, families, and specialists.

What does a first grade teacher do?

First-grade teachers are the first instructors of children after they finished the kindergarten level. They play an essential role as children aged six to seven move to more structured learning. Generally, they set an exciting tone of learning for the fundamental skills in writing, reading, and math. These teachers create and give effective learning activities to the children to enhance their physical, emotional, intellectual, and social development. They have to effectively manage the classroom and ensure that all students are safe. Also, they give regular assessments to children to evaluate if their teaching method is effective and to determine the learning style of each child. Additionally, they need to communicate with parents, guardians, and principals on the progress of the children.

General education teacher vs first grade teacher salary

General education teachers and first grade teachers have different pay scales, as shown below.

General Education TeacherFirst Grade Teacher
Average salary$36,253$49,757
Salary rangeBetween $24,000 And $53,000Between $37,000 And $65,000
Highest paying CityDaly City, CANew York, NY
Highest paying stateCaliforniaNew York
Best paying companyShepherd UniversityShady Side Academy
Best paying industryEducationEducation

Differences between general education teacher and first grade teacher education

There are a few differences between a general education teacher and a first grade teacher in terms of educational background:

General Education TeacherFirst Grade Teacher
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 67%Bachelor's Degree, 74%
Most common majorElementary EducationElementary Education
Most common collegeUniversity of PennsylvaniaUniversity of Pennsylvania

General education teacher vs first grade teacher demographics

Here are the differences between general education teachers' and first grade teachers' demographics:

General Education TeacherFirst Grade Teacher
Average age4342
Gender ratioMale, 22.1% Female, 77.9%Male, 7.5% Female, 92.5%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 9.5% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.6% Asian, 3.6% White, 70.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%Black or African American, 10.0% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 12.8% Asian, 3.7% White, 69.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage8%9%

Differences between general education teacher and first grade teacher duties and responsibilities

General education teacher example responsibilities.

  • Utilize PLC time to meet the needs of struggling and achieving students
  • Design data-driven interventions in reading and math (RTI).
  • Create lesson plans and teach middle school students with specific learning disabilities, emotional disabilities and autism.
  • Develop IEPS base on student's performance.
  • Follow the guidelines for PBIS to create a positive learning environment
  • Deliver instruction in all subject areas to kindergarten and first grade students.
  • Show more

First grade teacher example responsibilities.

  • Used technology such as scanning documents, creating hyperlinks and PowerPoint to document student progress for student lead conferences.
  • Prepare and plan literacy and math centers daily to encourage student achievement and socialization skills.
  • Develop standards-based curricula including a balance literacy program, math and writers' workshops and after school intervention program.
  • Implement the PBIS social emotional development program.
  • Employ PBIS to reenforce positive behavior among students.
  • Focuse on ESL students using methodical scaffolding, with an emphasis on citizenship and literacy.
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General education teacher vs first grade teacher skills

Common general education teacher skills
  • Classroom Management, 11%
  • Professional Development, 7%
  • Mathematics, 7%
  • Data Analysis, 7%
  • Student Data, 6%
  • Learning Environment, 5%
Common first grade teacher skills
  • Classroom Management, 29%
  • Math, 13%
  • Social Studies, 5%
  • Professional Development, 4%
  • Classroom Environment, 4%
  • Language Arts, 3%

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