Lead Teacher Job Description, Skills, and Salary
Get to know about the duties, responsibilities, qualifications, and skills requirements of a lead teacher. Feel free to use our lead teacher job description template to produce your own. We also provide you with information about the salary you can earn as a lead teacher.
Who is a Lead Teacher?
A Lead Teacher is accountable for considering the perspectives of teachers, administration, and parents and incorporating those perspectives into educational structures that enable students to learn. Lead Teachers continue to teach their classes in the same way that any other teacher does, but they have additional responsibilities.
A lead teacher designs lessons for their students that are aligned with state standards in a variety of subject areas. Additionally, a lead teacher is expected to communicate regularly with their students’ guardians about their progress and any concerns the teacher or guardian may have about their educational progress and behavior.
Lead teachers typically collaborate with a team of other teachers and are responsible for curriculum alignment across a grade level to ensure that all students receive a comparable education. As the team’s lead teacher, other teachers will look to them for guidance and may approach them with questions and concerns about their students, lesson plans, and other subjects.
Lead teachers are skilled educators who collaborate with colleagues, administrators, and parents to ensure that both teachers and students have a positive, productive school experience. Lead teachers are responsible for assisting new teachers and those working with a difficult student population, as well as serving as a liaison between the administration and teachers.
Lead Teacher Job Description
Below are the lead teacher job description examples you can use to develop your resume or write a lead teacher job description for your employee. Employers can also use it to sieve out job seekers when choosing candidates for interviews.
The duties and responsibilities of a lead teacher include the following:
- Taking the initiative in developing your department’s curriculum.
- Evaluating lesson plans and current teaching methods.
- Developing strategies to address any identified deficiencies.
- Contributing to the school’s leadership and management.
- Assisting, guiding, and reviewing other teaching staff members.
- Collaborating with other departments to contribute to the school’s overall improvement.
- Establishing a supportive environment in which students are encouraged to participate actively in the educational process.
- Communicating with students, parents, and other professionals regularly, both orally and in writing.
- Enhancing the instructional environment with peers.
- Demonstrating professionalism and ethical behavior in interactions with students, parents, peers, and the community.
- Ascertaining that student growth and achievement are consistent with their age group, subject area, and/or program classification.
- Developing and maintaining cooperative relationships with students, parents, and schools
- Meeting professional obligations through efficient work habits such as meeting deadlines, adhering to schedules, and coordinating workload.
- Assessing children’s development and academic progress and designing courses of study that meet their needs.
- Referring children for specialized evaluations in collaboration with psychologists, social workers, and special education specialists.
- Preparing weekly reports on student progress and keeping anecdotal notes, as well as compiling work samples for individual portfolios.
- Preparing materials for and attending local and state early childhood conferences on behalf of the university.
- Supervising classroom team to ensure the program’s educational standards, quality, safety, and cleanliness are met.
- Supervising and managing accounts receivable, as well as monitoring the health of the business, with an eye for detail and constant communication with the employer.
- Evaluating the progress of children toward meeting UPK standards.
Other critical responsibilities include the following:
- Observing Classrooms
A significant portion of a Lead Teacher’s job is assisting newer or less experienced teachers in resolving classroom problems. As a result, they must spend time in the classrooms of other teachers during class time to identify issues.
- Solving problems
After observing other teachers’ teaching styles and classroom environments, they must analyze what they’ve observed to propose potential solutions. These may include alterations to teaching techniques, increased communication between students and teachers, and the development of new processes for assisting students.
- Monitoring Your Progress
Following their recommendations for possible solutions, Lead Teachers must continue to monitor student and teacher progress by monitoring the activities in each classroom they previously evaluated. This may include examining grade averages, observing additional classes in person, or soliciting direct feedback from students.
- Maintaining Contact with Stakeholders
Lead Teachers frequently serve as a liaison between administrators and teachers, teachers and parents, students and teachers, or any combination thereof, due to their unique insight into the progress of their department’s classes. They will be responsible for clarifying objectives and maintaining open lines of communication in their capacity as liaisons.
- Providing Direction
Lead Teachers are frequently sought out for guidance, particularly by other teachers, due to their experience and practical knowledge. They may assist those teachers in developing lesson plans, selecting textbooks, organizing meetings, and developing course curricula.
Qualifications
The following table summarizes the minimum education requirements and typical employer preferences. Additionally, there are certain training courses and certifications that can assist you in achieving success as a lead teacher, as well as key skills that you can develop throughout your career.
Education
A lead teacher must possess a bachelor’s degree, preferably in education or a closely related field such as child development. If your degree is not in education, you may be required to take an additional teacher preparation course to obtain certification. Additionally, you can earn endorsements in areas of teaching that interest you, such as early childhood education, special education, English as a second language, or reading, with a degree in education.
Training
Often, student teaching is required to earn a degree in education. This component is critical to the training of a lead teacher. Student teaching enables you to enter a classroom and observe a current lead teacher in action. As a student teacher, you will learn how to develop lesson plans, plan activities that align with state standards, and engage students in those activities. Additional training is provided through mentorship by a lead teacher during the first few years of teaching.
Certifications
Employers, particularly in early childhood education, may prefer that you obtain certification. As a lead teacher is typically found in an elementary or preschool setting, holding this certification demonstrates that you are familiar with teaching strategies appropriate for this age group and have a firm grasp on early childhood development.
- Early childhood education certification
To earn an ECE certification, you must pass a state-approved exam. You may register for this test after completing your teacher preparation course. Your results are forwarded to the State Board of Education, and if your score is considered passing, you will receive your certificate.
Essential Skills
- Balance
You understand when to splurge on a name brand and when to shop for bargains. You understand the importance of prioritization. The dishes aren’t finished, but taking an extra 15 minutes to unwind tonight is more important. You take the punches as they come. When inclement weather throws a wrench in your plans, you transform an unexpected setback into a productive day at home. Simply because something is not perfect does not mean it is hopeless.
If you expect everything to go according to plan in school, you may want to spend some additional time with your students. Things rarely go according to plan. However, if you are capable of riding the waves, this is all part of the fun. Strive for a balance of structure and spontaneity. Occasionally, you will need to give in to the class’s enthusiasm for additional games on a particular subject. At other times, you’ll reel them back in to complete the story. It’s about determining what’s most critical—whether or not it’s planned.
- Creativity
It is not necessary to be an artist to be a lead teacher—but it certainly helps. There are an infinite number of definitions for creativity. You enjoy resolving issues. You enjoy devising novel ways to accomplish the same task. You make the connection between two seemingly unrelated subjects. Whether it’s art or ideas, you enjoy creating and inspiring others.
When it comes to being creative in the classroom, you’ll discover that there are numerous ways to express yourself. Creative teaching is all about maximizing the use of available resources to create an engaging learning environment. On the other hand, creative teaching is about assisting your students in thinking outside the box and expressing themselves through creation.
- Communication
You will collaborate closely with colleagues, students, and parents as a lead teacher. Strong verbal and written communication skills, as well as the ability to adapt your language to your audience, are critical for your message to be understood.
To you, communication encompasses far more than just words. It’s the ability to read people’s emotions before they speak. It is a form of active listening. It’s a small gesture that communicates your concern for someone. You become acquainted with other people’s quirks before passing judgment. You take the time to comprehend their communication style because you recognize that communication is not a one-size-fits-all endeavor.
Adults frequently become frustrated with children because they do not communicate in the same way we do. That is acceptable. As a lead teacher, you must delve beneath the surface to assist children in developing more effective communication skills.
- Energy
You are a morning person, whether your family likes it or not. However, it is not simply about having energy. You are enthused and involved. Others may yawn at the sight of a rainbow on their daily commute, but you would never miss an opportunity to marvel. You’ve been known to completely clean your house in the time it takes others to return from the grocery store. You’re optimistic and believe that the only way forward is forward.
- Organizational skills
Each week, you will be responsible for developing lesson plans that align with a variety of state standards, as well as activities that support the teaching of those standards. Being organized can assist you in staying on top of these lessons and standards to ensure that your students are acquiring all necessary knowledge. Establishing routines in your classroom with your students will also help them develop organizational skills, which they will carry with them throughout their lives.
- Technological skills
Numerous types of learning environments are increasingly reliant on technology. As a lead teacher, it’s critical to be technologically savvy to seamlessly integrate technology into your lessons and to familiarize your students with the various ways technology can enhance their learning.
How to Become a Lead Teacher
To become a lead teacher, you must take several steps to obtain the education, certification, and experience that employers require.
- Completion of a bachelor’s degree
It is ideal for a lead teacher to have a bachelor’s degree in education or a closely related field. Most colleges and universities offer these degrees and endorsements for special education or early childhood education.
- Successful completion of your student teaching
It will benefit you to complete your student teaching in the area in which you wish to work as a lead teacher during your degree program. This will provide you with direct experience teaching a group of children in your target age range, as well as access to a mentor lead teacher from whom you can learn and ask questions.
- Obtain certification.
After your degree program, you may register to sit for an examination administered by your state’s board of education. The State Board receives your exam results, and if you pass, you are considered a certified teacher. If you wish to be certified for multiple grade levels or subjects, you may take multiple tests.
- Ascend the ladder
To advance to the position of the lead teacher, you must gain experience in the classroom. The majority of lead teachers have at least two years of classroom experience. You can benefit from this time by learning from your lead teacher, who serves as a mentor for the team’s teachers.
- Develop a resume
Include your highest level of education, all of your certifications, your student teaching experience, and any related work experience on your resume. This could include previous years of teaching, tutoring, or any other classroom experience.
- Maintain your educational pursuits
You will almost certainly be required to maintain your certification as a lead teacher through continuing education. Courses are available online or through your local education center. Your school may even offer opportunities for in-person professional development and continuing education. Utilize as many of those as possible to expand your knowledge.
Where to Work as a Lead Teacher
A lead teacher may be employed by a school district, a preschool, or an independent private or charter school.
Lead Teacher Salary Scale
In the United States, the national average salary for a Lead Teacher is $36,499 per year.