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What does a third grade teacher do?

Updated January 8, 2025
7 min read
Quoted expert
Dr. Diana Jones

A Third Grade Teachers role is to provide instructions for children in a wide range of subjects such as math, social studies, and history. A Third Grade Teacher develops and implements curriculums for third grade students.

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Third grade teacher responsibilities

Here are examples of responsibilities from real third grade teacher resumes:

  • Manage and administer the practice and mock reading and math TAKS tests.
  • Provide individual and group assistance through tutoring, RTI and reteach groups.
  • Coordinate with co-teacher to meet challenging needs of expanding kindergarten through second grade classroom.
  • Differentiate instruction to meet the needs of students in ESL, general education and special education.
  • Perform all teacher duties including teaching all subjects, initiating and ending ILP's and RTI's.
  • Implement ESL lesson plans that fulfill the requirements of district s curriculum program and show written evidence of preparation as required.
  • Provide individualized instruction to each student in math and science emphasizing experiential learning.
  • Design and implement school-wide daily iPad and computer usage in literacy and math curriculum.
  • Collaborate with special education teacher daily to provide accurate IEP accommodations for special education students.
  • Execute IEP accommodations of several mainstream special education students and provide valuable input during IEP meetings.
  • Administer and analyze Fountas and Pinnell benchmark literacy assessment to guide instruction.

Third grade teacher skills and personality traits

We calculated that 32% of Third Grade Teachers are proficient in Classroom Management, Math, and Social Studies. They’re also known for soft skills such as Communication skills, Patience, and Physical stamina.

We break down the percentage of Third Grade Teachers that have these skills listed on their resume here:

  • Classroom Management, 32%

    Served as a department head; encouraged teacher-to-teacher support in meeting students' needs and fostered positive, community-based classroom management.

  • Math, 14%

    Developed expertise with curricula, including Everyday Mathematics, and developed school-wide supplementary materials for acceleration and enrichment in math.

  • Social Studies, 6%

    Teach all subjects: reading/comprehension, phonics, word parts, grammar, mathematics, writing, science and social studies.

  • Language Arts, 4%

    Implemented a balanced literacy program to facilitate language arts instruction.

  • Instructional Materials, 4%

    Design explicit lesson plans for classroom instructions and instructional materials for classroom utilization.

  • Professional Development, 3%

    Attend weekly and monthly professional develop meetings, along with attending outside professional development opportunities to continue professional and personal growth.

Common skills that a third grade teacher uses to do their job include "classroom management," "math," and "social studies." You can find details on the most important third grade teacher responsibilities below.

Communication skills. To carry out their duties, the most important skill for a third grade teacher to have is communication skills. Their role and responsibilities require that "teachers need to discuss students’ needs with parents and administrators." Third grade teachers often use communication skills in their day-to-day job, as shown by this real resume: "attended all staff meetings and professional development workshops conducted parent/teacher conferences and kept constant open communication with families"

Patience. Another essential skill to perform third grade teacher duties is patience. Third grade teachers responsibilities require that "kindergarten and elementary school teachers must respond with patience when students struggle with material." Third grade teachers also use patience in their role according to a real resume snippet: "exhibit patience & positive attitudes in establishing an encouraging learning environment. "

Physical stamina. Another skill that relates to the job responsibilities of third grade teachers is physical stamina. This skill is critical to many everyday third grade teacher duties, as "working with kindergarten- and elementary-age students can be tiring." This example from a resume shows how this skill is used: "led activities focused on developing students' physical, emotional and social growth. "

All third grade teacher skills

The three companies that hire the most third grade teachers are:

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Compare different third grade teachers

Third grade teacher vs. Spanish teacher

A Spanish teacher is responsible for teaching the Spanish language, including its history and culture, both written and conversational. Spanish teachers follow the curriculum, depending on the students' expertise level and evaluate their progress through oral and written assessments. A Spanish teacher must develop effective lesson plans, focusing on Spanish grammar and composition, identifying students' improvement areas to adjust lesson outlines. Spanish teachers must have excellent knowledge and expertise with the Spanish language and engaging activities to further students' development.

The annual salary of spanish teachers is $5,559 higher than the average salary of third grade teachers.While the two careers have a salary gap, they share some of the same responsibilities. Employees in both third grade teacher and spanish teacher positions are skilled in classroom management, social studies, and instructional materials.

These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. The responsibilities of a third grade teacher are more likely to require skills like "math," "language arts," "grade curriculum," and "literacy program." On the other hand, a job as a spanish teacher requires skills like "spanish language," "iv," "classroom environment," and "k-12." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.

Spanish teachers really shine in the education industry with an average salary of $53,431. Comparatively, third grade teachers tend to make the most money in the education industry with an average salary of $49,002.spanish teachers tend to reach similar levels of education than third grade teachers. In fact, spanish teachers are 0.9% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 1.2% more likely to have a Doctoral Degree.

Third grade teacher vs. Biology teacher

A biology teacher specializes in teaching biology to students at learning institutions. Their duties consist of developing lesson and assessment plans, preparing teaching materials such as handouts and presentations, conducting tests and examinations, grading the students' papers and homework, and monitoring their academic progress and behavior. They must also organize laboratory activities and demonstrations, supervise the students in various procedures, and implement the laboratory rules and regulations to maintain a safe and effective learning environment for everyone.

Biology teacher positions earn higher pay than third grade teacher roles. They earn a $4,835 higher salary than third grade teachers per year.A few skills overlap for third grade teachers and biology teachers. Resumes from both professions show that the duties of each career rely on skills like "classroom management," "instructional materials," and "professional development. "

While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that third grade teacher responsibilities requires skills like "math," "social studies," "language arts," and "learning process." But a biology teacher might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "science curriculum," "lab experiments," "mentoring students," and "chemistry."

Biology teachers may earn a higher salary than third grade teachers, but biology teachers earn the most pay in the education industry with an average salary of $51,188. On the other hand, third grade teachers receive higher pay in the education industry, where they earn an average salary of $49,002.Average education levels between the two professions vary. Biology teachers tend to reach similar levels of education than third grade teachers. In fact, they're 0.3% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 1.2% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for third grade teachers in the next 3-5 years?

Dr. Diana JonesDr. Diana Jones LinkedIn profile

Chair, Department of Kinesiology, Anderson University

Technology in the next 3-5 years -- That is a tough question because technology is continually changing. However, I would say whatever learning system their school provides (e.g., Canvas, Blackboard, etc.), they should get to know. Also, the technology that involves making/editing videos of teaching would be necessary. The technique that includes exercise, fitness, sports such as heart rate monitors, Fitbits, etc. Finally, a technology that allows interactions between teachers and students and students and students.

Third grade teacher vs. Esl teacher

An ESL teacher specializes in teaching the English language to non-native speakers of all ages, usually in a virtual setting. Their responsibilities revolve around devising lesson plans, organizing learning materials, evaluating progress, and coming up with strategies to make learners feel comfortable. Furthermore, they must maintain a healthy and safe learning environment, whether the lessons are in a one-on-one or group setting. When it comes to virtual learning, an ESL teacher must have the necessary equipment, a stable internet connection, and an obstruction-free teaching location.

On average scale, esl teachers bring in higher salaries than third grade teachers. In fact, they earn a $5,815 higher salary per year.By looking over several third grade teachers and esl teachers resumes, we found that both roles require similar skills in their day-to-day duties, such as "classroom management," "social studies," and "language arts." But beyond that, the careers look very different.

There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, a third grade teacher is likely to be skilled in "math," "professional development," "learning process," and "grade curriculum," while a typical esl teacher is skilled in "kids," "whiteboards," "curriculum development," and "english language."

Esl teachers earn the best pay in the retail industry, where they command an average salary of $52,367. Third grade teachers earn the highest pay from the education industry, with an average salary of $49,002.Most esl teachers achieve a similar degree level compared to third grade teachers. For example, they're 2.9% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.7% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Third grade teacher vs. Mentor teacher

Mentor teachers tend to earn a higher pay than third grade teachers by an average of $1,375 per year.While both third grade teachers and mentor teachers complete day-to-day tasks using similar skills like classroom management, social studies, and language arts, the two careers vary in some skills.While some skills are required in each professionacirc;euro;trade;s responsibilities, there are some differences to note. "math," "instructional materials," "learning process," and "grade curriculum" are skills that commonly show up on third grade teacher resumes. On the other hand, mentor teachers use skills like curriculum development, mathematics, professional growth, and constructive feedback on their resumes.mentor teachers enjoy the best pay in the education industry, with an average salary of $48,634. For comparison, third grade teachers earn the highest salary in the education industry.The average resume of mentor teachers showed that they earn similar levels of education compared to third grade teachers. So much so that theyacirc;euro;trade;re 4.8% more likely to earn a Master's Degree and more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree by 1.1%.

Types of third grade teacher

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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