Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education Onet SOC Code 25-2012.00 Career Description: Teach elemental natural and social science, personal hygiene, music, art, and literature to children from 4 to 6 years old. Promote physical, mental, and social development. May be required to hold State certification. Related Clusters: Programs of Study Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education

Career Summary:

• Experience- A minimum of two to four years of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
• Education- Most of these occupations require a four - year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
• Job Training- Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
• Examples- Many of these occupations involve coordinating, supervising, managing, or training others. Examples include accountants, human resource managers, computer programmers, teachers, chemists, and police detectives.

• Teach basic skills such as color, shape, number and letter recognition, personal hygiene, and social skills.
• Establish and enforce rules for behavior, and policies and procedures to maintain order among students.
• Observe and evaluate children's performance, behavior, social development, and physical health.
• Instruct students individually and in groups, adapting teaching methods to meet students' varying needs and interests.
• Read books to entire classes or to small groups.
• Demonstrate activities to children.
• Provide a variety of materials and resources for children to explore, manipulate, and use, both in learning activities and in imaginative play.
• Plan and conduct activities for a balanced program of instruction, demonstration, and work time that provides students with opportunities to observe, question, and investigate.
• Confer with parents or guardians, other teachers, counselors, and administrators to resolve students' behavioral and academic problems.
• Prepare children for later grades by encouraging them to explore learning opportunities and to persevere with challenging tasks.
• Establish clear objectives for all lessons, units, and projects, and communicate those objectives to children.
• Prepare and implement remedial programs for students requiring extra help.
• Meet with parents and guardians to discuss their children's progress, and to determine their priorities for their children and their resource needs.
• Organize and lead activities designed to promote physical, mental, and social development such as games, arts and crafts, music, and storytelling.
• Prepare objectives and outlines for courses of study, following curriculum guidelines or requirements of states and schools.
• Guide and counsel students with adjustment or academic problems, or special academic interests.
• Instruct and monitor students in the use and care of equipment and materials, to prevent injuries and damage.
• Identify children showing signs of emotional, developmental, or health-related problems, and discuss them with supervisors, parents or guardians, and child development specialists.
• Assimilate arriving children to the school environment by greeting them, helping them remove outerwear, and selecting activities of interest to them.
• Maintain accurate and complete student records, and prepare reports on children and activities, as required by laws, district policies, and administrative regulations.
• Prepare materials, classrooms, and other indoor and outdoor spaces to facilitate creative play, learning and motor-skill activities, and safety.
• Collaborate with other teachers and administrators in the development, evaluation, and revision of kindergarten programs.
• Prepare, administer, and grade tests and assignments to evaluate children's progress.
• Meet with other professionals to discuss individual students' needs and progress.
• Organize and label materials and display children's work in a manner appropriate for their sizes and perceptual skills.
• Confer with other staff members to plan and schedule lessons promoting learning, following approved curricula.
• Supervise, evaluate, and plan assignments for teacher assistants and volunteers.
• Administer standardized ability and achievement tests, and interpret results to determine children's developmental levels and needs.
• Prepare for assigned classes, and show written evidence of preparation upon request of immediate supervisors.
• Use computers, audiovisual aids, and other equipment and materials to supplement presentations.
• Plan and supervise class projects, field trips, visits by guests, or other experiential activities, and guide students in learning from those activities.
• Involve parent volunteers and older students in children's activities, to facilitate involvement in focused, complex play.
• Attend professional meetings, educational conferences, and teacher training workshops to maintain and improve professional competence.
• Perform administrative duties such as assisting in school libraries, hall and cafeteria monitoring, and bus loading and unloading.
• Attend staff meetings, and serve on committees as required.
• Select, store, order, issue, and inventory classroom equipment, materials, and supplies.
• Provide disabled students with assistive devices, supportive technology, and assistance accessing facilities such as restrooms.

• Education and Training - Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
• English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
• Education and Training - Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
• English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
• Psychology - Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
• Psychology - Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
• Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

• Teachers with a strong background in early childhood education and child development are best suited for this occupation. Public school teachers must be licensed in Tennessee. Some individuals may begin teaching under provisional licensure while taking courses to complete their degree. To be recommended for licensure, the candidate must pass the NTE core battery and a specialty area test in the licensure area. A professional teacher's license is issued to a teacher who has completed a minimum of three years experience in an approved school and who has received a positive local evaluation in a Tennessee public school system. The professional license is valid for ten years and is renewable by meeting state requirements. High school students who wish to become kindergarten teachers should pursue college preparatory courses. For related information and recommended courses to prepare for this occupation, Tennessee high school students may visit the Family and Consumer Sciences Standards and Competency Profiles online. For additional information, visit the Tennessee Office of Teacher Licensing or Tennessee Licensure Standards and Induction Guidelines online.

• Learning Strategies - Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
• Instructing - Teaching others how to do something.
• Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
• Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
• Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
• Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
• Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
• Time Management - Managing one's own time and the time of others.
• Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
• Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.

• Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
• Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
• Speech Recognition - The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
• Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
• Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
• Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.

• Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work - Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
• Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships - Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
• Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge - Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
• Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings - Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
• Coaching and Developing Others - Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.
• Training and Teaching Others - Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
• Thinking Creatively - Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates - Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems - Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
• Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events - Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
• Developing Objectives and Strategies - Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.

• Social - Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
• Artistic - Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.

• Dependability - Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
• Self Control - Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
• Cooperation - Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
• Concern for Others - Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
• Integrity - Job requires being honest and ethical.
• Social Orientation - Job requires preferring to work with others rather than alone, and being personally connected with others on the job.
• Initiative - Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
• Stress Tolerance - Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.
• Adaptability/Flexibility - Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
• Persistence - Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
• Achievement/Effort - Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
• Attention to Detail - Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
• Leadership - Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.
• Innovation - Job requires creativity and alternative thinking to develop new ideas for and answers to work-related problems.
• Independence - Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
• Analytical Thinking - Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.

• Authority - Workers on this job give directions and instructions to others.
• Social Service - Workers on this job have work where they do things for other people.
• Achievement - Workers on this job get a feeling of accomplishment.
• Creativity - Workers on this job try out their own ideas.
• Responsibility - Workers on this job make decisions on their own.
• Independence-Mean Extent - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employs to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
• Achievement-Mean Extent - Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
• Security - Workers on this job have steady employment.
• Working Conditions - Workers on this job have good working conditions.
• Autonomy - Workers on this job plan their work with little supervision.
• Ability Utilization - Workers on this job make use of their individual abilities.
• Activity - Workers on this job are busy all the time.
• Relationships-Mean Extent - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
• Company Policies and Practices - Workers on this job are treated fairly by the company.
• Social Status - Workers on this job are looked up to by others in their company and their community.
• Moral Values - Workers on this job are never pressured to do things that go against their sense of right and wrong.
• Recognition-Mean Extent - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.
• Working Conditions-Mean Extent - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
• Variety - Workers on this job have something different to do every day.
• Co-workers - Workers on this job have co-workers who are easy to get along with.
• Supervision, Human Relations - Workers on this job have supervisors who back up their workers with management.
• Support-Mean Extent - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.

Wage and salary data provided by:

• Bureau of Labor Statistics, Tennessee Department of Labor website
• TN Department of Labor & Workforce Development website
• Bureau of Economic Analysis website