What Do Teachers Do?
Wondering what the job is really like for teachers?
You've come to the right place.
Keep reading to find detailed information about what teachers do, including the type of work they are tasked with on a daily basis, industries in which they work, and the specific skills needed for a successful career.
Teachers Overview & Description
Let's get started with the basics about teachers by taking a look at a simple description and popular job titles.
Teachers teach one or more subjects to students at the secondary school level.
Popular Job Titles For Teachers
Sample of Reported Job Titles
- Mathematics Teachers
- Science Teachers
- English Teachers
- Physical Education Teachers
- Spanish Teachers
- Social Studies Teachers
- High School Mathematics Teachers
- High School Teachers
- After School Teachers
- High School Science Teachers
- ESL Teachers
- Teachers
Read on for insight into the industries where the highest concentration of jobs for teachers can be found.
Best Industries for Teachers
Teachers Jobs By Industry
- Education and Hospitals (Local Government): 80.4%
- Elementary and Secondary Schools: 17.1%
- Education and Hospitals (State Government): 0.9%
- Religious Organizations: 0.7%
- Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools: 0.2%
- Local Government, Excluding Education and Hospitals: 0.2%
- Other: 0.49999999999999%
When it comes to jobs in the United States, the largest single category of teachers can be found working in the Education and Hospitals (Local Government) sector. In 2023, about 80.4% of all jobs for teachers were found there.
Other top industries by percentage include Elementary and Secondary Schools (17.1%), Education and Hospitals (State Government) (0.9%), Religious Organizations (0.7%), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (0.2%) and Local Government, Excluding Education and Hospitals (0.2%).
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What Do Teachers Do on a Daily Basis?
So you have a high-level understanding of what teachers do and the types of industries in which they work - but what do they really do each day?
A great way to understand the type of work teachers do is to examine actual job postings and focus on the specific skills that employers are seeking. That will help paint a clearer picture of the tasks that teachers tackle each day.
Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for teachers, as well as common skills - interpersonal qualities and attributes - that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Teachers
Based on 213,279 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Teachers
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Lesson Planning | 51,970 | 24% |
| Curriculum Development | 27,016 | 13% |
| Classroom Management | 26,351 | 12% |
| Mathematics Education | 23,486 | 11% |
| Learning Styles | 19,181 | 9% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Teachers
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Teaching | 119,928 | 56% |
| Communication | 77,057 | 36% |
| English Language | 48,569 | 23% |
| Mathematics | 39,366 | 18% |
| Planning | 39,338 | 18% |
Based on 213,279 job postings related to teachers, lesson planning was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 24% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for curriculum development, classroom management, mathematics education, learning styles and special education were also highly sought.
As for common skills, teaching was the most desired skill found in job postings for teachers, followed by communication, english language, mathematics, planning and writing.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Lesson Planning | 51,970 | 24% |
| Curriculum Development | 27,016 | 13% |
| Classroom Management | 26,351 | 12% |
| Mathematics Education | 23,486 | 11% |
| Learning Styles | 19,181 | 9% |
| Special Education | 17,572 | 8% |
| Differentiated Instruction | 17,334 | 8% |
| Individualized Education Programs (IEP) | 17,081 | 8% |
| Social Studies | 16,195 | 8% |
| Educational Assessment | 16,115 | 8% |
| Science Education | 15,677 | 7% |
| Instructional Strategies | 13,910 | 7% |
| Physical Education | 13,204 | 6% |
| Student Engagement | 12,325 | 6% |
| Pedagogy | 10,590 | 5% |
| Biology | 10,327 | 5% |
| Chemistry | 8,834 | 4% |
| Effective Communication | 8,534 | 4% |
| Learning Strategies | 7,998 | 4% |
| Small Group Instruction | 7,989 | 4% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Teaching | 119,928 | 56% |
| Communication | 77,057 | 36% |
| English Language | 48,569 | 23% |
| Mathematics | 39,366 | 18% |
| Planning | 39,338 | 18% |
| Writing | 35,154 | 16% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 27,537 | 13% |
| Spanish Language | 22,009 | 10% |
| Management | 20,686 | 10% |
| Leadership | 19,898 | 9% |
| Problem Solving | 19,806 | 9% |
| Research | 17,929 | 8% |
| Progress Reporting | 16,122 | 8% |
| Multilingualism | 15,164 | 7% |
| Parent Communication | 14,322 | 7% |
| Professionalism | 13,828 | 6% |
| Organizational Skills | 13,561 | 6% |
| Ethical Standards And Conduct | 13,311 | 6% |
| Coaching | 13,288 | 6% |
| Enthusiasm | 12,444 | 6% |
Most In-Demand Jobs for Teachers
Top 5 Posted Job Titles
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Mathematics Teachers | 23,449 | 12.4% |
| Science Teachers | 15,845 | 8.4% |
| English Teachers | 15,925 | 8.4% |
| Physical Education Teachers | 11,686 | 6.2% |
| Spanish Teachers | 12,450 | 6.6% |
According to job postings that were published between September 2022 and August 2023, the top job sought by employers was mathematics teachers, with 7,709 unique job postings. Science teachers were second, with 5,303 postings, followed by english teachers, physical education teachers and spanish teachers.
Expand the section below to see unique job postings for all occupations related to teachers.
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Mathematics Teachers | 23,449 | 12.4% |
| Science Teachers | 15,845 | 8.4% |
| English Teachers | 15,925 | 8.4% |
| Physical Education Teachers | 11,686 | 6.2% |
| Spanish Teachers | 12,450 | 6.6% |
| Social Studies Teachers | 10,901 | 5.8% |
| High School Mathematics Teachers | 13,160 | 7% |
| High School Teachers | 9,747 | 5.2% |
| After School Teachers | 10,842 | 5.7% |
| High School Science Teachers | 9,458 | 5% |
| ESL Teachers | 7,945 | 4.2% |
| Teachers | 8,638 | 4.6% |
| High School English Teachers | 6,883 | 3.7% |
| English Language Arts Teachers | 5,205 | 2.8% |
| After School Instructors | 6,345 | 3.4% |
| 6th Grade Teachers | 4,598 | 2.4% |
| Middle School Teachers | 4,125 | 2.2% |
| High School Social Studies Teachers | 4,290 | 2.3% |
| High School Spanish Teachers | 3,780 | 2% |
| Secondary Teachers | 3,287 | 1.7% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information for teachers? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for teachers.
All Occupations
The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has compiled data for dozens of in-demand jobs. Explore our full catalog of occupation data by visiting the link below.