The Complete Guide to Becoming An Elementary School Teacher, Except Special Education

Chapter 1: What Does a Elementary School Teacher, Except Special Education Actually Do?

When you tell people you're thinking about becoming an elementary school teacher, they usually picture a few things: a chalkboard (or whiteboard), a circle of small children sitting criss-cross on a rug, and someone reading aloud from a picture book. That picture isn't wrong, but it's like describing a chef's job as "cooking." It misses the inventory counts, the health inspections, the 3 p.m. rush, and the mountain of dishes. This chapter is about the full reality of the job, from the moment you walk into the building to the moment you leave - and often, the work you do after you leave.

So, what does an elementary school teacher, except special education, actually do? The title tells you who you're teaching. You're responsible for general education, which means you teach a full curriculum to a class of students who are typically in grades kindergarten through fifth or sixth, depending on the district. You are not a specialist in special education (which involves a separate license and a different set of responsibilities), and you're not a subject-matter specialist like a high school math teacher. You are a generalist. Except in very large districts or specialized schools, you teach everything: reading, writing, math, science, and social studies. In many schools, you also teach social-emotional skills - how to share, how to apologize, how to sit still, how to raise your hand - because, especially in the younger grades,