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What is a kindergarten teacher and how to become one
A kindergarten teacher works with young children in the early stages of their education. They create a safe learning environment where children develop social, emotional, and cognitive skills. Kindergarten teachers engage children in learning with games, songs, and hands-on activities. They also teach academic skills such as reading, writing, and math. In addition, kindergarten teachers work with parents to assess children's progress and provide feedback. They lay the foundation for a child's academic success.
What general advice would you give to a kindergarten teacher?
Dr. Diana Jones
Chair, Department of Kinesiology, Anderson University
Avg. Salary $48,029
Avg. Salary $59,228
Growth rate 4%
Growth rate 0.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native 0.92%
Asian 6.06%
Black or African American 9.04%
Hispanic or Latino 16.96%
Unknown 4.63%
White 62.38%
Genderfemale 91.77%
male 8.23%
Age - 39American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%
Asian 7.00%
Black or African American 14.00%
Hispanic or Latino 19.00%
White 57.00%
Genderfemale 47.00%
male 53.00%
Age - 39Stress level is manageable
7.1 - high
Complexity level is challenging
7 - challenging
Work life balance is excellent
6.4 - fair
What are the pros and cons of being a kindergarten teacher?
Pros
The creativity and playfulness of the job can be enjoyable.
Chance to teach children valuable life skills and knowledge
Flexible hours or schedule options.
You may receive good benefits, such as health insurance, retirement plans, or paid time off.
Summers off or reduced work hours during the summer months.
Cons
The pay may not be competitive with other professions or industries
The workload can be heavy, especially during the school year
The job may require you to work long hours or take work home
The job may require you to deal with administrative or bureaucratic tasks that take away from teaching time
The job may require you to work with limited resources or materials
Kindergarten teacher career paths
Key steps to become a kindergarten teacher
Explore kindergarten teacher education requirements
Start to develop specific kindergarten teacher skills
Skills Percentages Classroom Management 26.94% Math 13.68% Professional Development 7.03% Language Arts 5.44% Social Studies 4.37% Complete relevant kindergarten teacher training and internships
Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New kindergarten teachers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a kindergarten teacher based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real kindergarten teacher resumes.Research kindergarten teacher duties and responsibilities
- Utilize PLC time to meet the needs of struggling and achieving students
- Target at risk and high achieving students using levele readers and DRA strategies.
- Present history and math PowerPoint lessons.
- Serve on data teams to coordinate with ELA, math and RTI specialists to ensure student growth and success.
Prepare your kindergarten teacher resume
When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your kindergarten teacher resume.
You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a kindergarten teacher resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.
Choose from 10+ customizable kindergarten teacher resume templates
Build a professional kindergarten teacher resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your kindergarten teacher resume.
Apply for kindergarten teacher jobs
Now it's time to start searching for a kindergarten teacher job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:
- Browse job boards for relevant postings
- Consult your professional network
- Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
- Watch out for job scams
How did you land your first kindergarten teacher job
Irene Chloe
Kindergarten Teacher, Hanak international school
Average kindergarten teacher salary
The average kindergarten teacher salary in the United States is $48,029 per year or $23 per hour. Kindergarten teacher salaries range between $37,000 and $62,000 per year.
What am I worth?
How do kindergarten teachers rate their job?
Kindergarten teacher reviews
The kids light up my days.
The demand and low pay. Teachers have families, too.
Seeing the kids learn, grow, over come challenges.
It can be emotionally and physically draining, especially if not appreciated.
You got to work with learners who will love you unconditionally. It gives a great satisfaction to be able to help them. I love learners with Special Needs and I am a Mom of one.
I can't say, maybe because there is none.
Kindergarten teacher FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
