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Preschool lead teacher vs head teacher

The differences between preschool lead teachers and head teachers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a head teacher has an average salary of $51,715, which is higher than the $33,176 average annual salary of a preschool lead teacher.

The top three skills for a preschool lead teacher include CPR, professional development and child care. The most important skills for a head teacher are classroom management, child care, and creative curriculum.

Preschool lead teacher vs head teacher overview

Preschool Lead TeacherHead Teacher
Yearly salary$33,176$51,715
Hourly rate$15.95$24.86
Growth rate15%4%
Number of jobs54,87073,756
Job satisfaction5-
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 54%Bachelor's Degree, 57%
Average age4042
Years of experience2-

What does a preschool lead teacher do?

A preschool lead teacher is responsible for managing the overall learning progress of preschool students. Preschool lead teachers to develop engaging and fun activities for the young learners to monitor their personal and social development. They also utilize learning techniques suitable for young learners' minds to improve their competencies and build self-confidence. They create progress reports and communicate the children's development to their parents. A preschool lead teacher should always adhere to the school regulations to ensure a safe and secure environment for the children.

What does a head teacher do?

A headteacher is responsible for monitoring the students' overall learning process, managing and evaluating the performance of school staff, implementing effective learning strategies for the students, encouraging them to reach their maximum potential, and gain self-confidence. Headteachers often lead meetings, especially discussing school activities and the child's performance to their parents, implementing safety policies, and enforcing disciplinary actions for policy violations. A headteacher must have excellent leadership and communication skills to handle the students' needs and support their high-quality performance.

Preschool lead teacher vs head teacher salary

Preschool lead teachers and head teachers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Preschool Lead TeacherHead Teacher
Average salary$33,176$51,715
Salary rangeBetween $24,000 And $45,000Between $32,000 And $83,000
Highest paying CitySan Francisco, CABoston, MA
Highest paying stateNew YorkMassachusetts
Best paying companyColumbia University in the City of New YorkGrand View Health
Best paying industryGovernmentRetail

Differences between preschool lead teacher and head teacher education

There are a few differences between a preschool lead teacher and a head teacher in terms of educational background:

Preschool Lead TeacherHead Teacher
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 54%Bachelor's Degree, 57%
Most common majorEarly Childhood EducationEarly Childhood Education
Most common collegeNorthwestern UniversityNorthwestern University

Preschool lead teacher vs head teacher demographics

Here are the differences between preschool lead teachers' and head teachers' demographics:

Preschool Lead TeacherHead Teacher
Average age4042
Gender ratioMale, 6.0% Female, 94.0%Male, 13.8% Female, 86.2%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 8.8% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 16.1% Asian, 6.0% White, 63.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%Black or African American, 10.0% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 12.9% Asian, 3.7% White, 69.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage5%9%

Differences between preschool lead teacher and head teacher duties and responsibilities

Preschool lead teacher example responsibilities.

  • Instruct small groups in writing, letter identification, mathematics, and Health/Nutrition.
  • Offer tutoring in writing, mathematics, Spanish, English, and other courses.
  • Complete annual child abuse training, annual first aid and CPR, and annual food handlers training.
  • Establish a history of graduating Pre-K students to kindergarten with the ability to read and do basic math.
  • Educate students per Pre-K curriculum requirements, assemble portfolios, progress reports, and assessments for each child.
  • Provide first aid or CPR, prevent the spread of blood borne pathogens, and access emergency services as needed.
  • Show more

Head teacher example responsibilities.

  • Lead debates with advance students on topics including globalization, economics, and political history.
  • Plan and implement cohesive, age-appropriate curriculum for severely disable children in Pre-K program.
  • Develop and implement age-appropriate curriculum for toddler program, ensuring that appropriate opportunities are provided in order to maximize learning potential.
  • Set up the physical environment to meet the changing needs of infants and toddlers in accordance with ECERS and ITERS-R assessments.

Preschool lead teacher vs head teacher skills

Common preschool lead teacher skills
  • CPR, 16%
  • Professional Development, 14%
  • Child Care, 12%
  • Classroom Management, 12%
  • Child Development, 11%
  • Open Communication, 9%
Common head teacher skills
  • Classroom Management, 26%
  • Child Care, 13%
  • Creative Curriculum, 5%
  • Language Arts, 5%
  • Pre-K, 5%
  • Mathematics, 5%

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