What a high school teacher really does
You teach your subject to teenagers who are almost adults, pushing them to think for themselves while keeping grades, deadlines and graduation on track.
FieldEducation
Preparation (O*NET Job Zone)Considerable preparation needed
What the work involves
What fills a typical week for high school teachers, built from O*NET occupation data.
- Teach four to five class periods of your subject through mini lectures, discussions and activities
- Plan units and lessons that follow the curriculum and set clear objectives
- Grade essays, tests and projects and give feedback students will actually use
- Adapt work for students with IEPs, English learners and advanced students
- Enforce school rules on phones, attendance and academic honesty
- Email and meet with parents, counselors and administrators about students at risk
- Sponsor a club or coach, and attend department and staff meetings
What the days are like
What people in the job know
- The room is loud and you have to think and teach through it. Sounds, Noise Levels Distracting or Uncomfortable: 46% every day (O*NET Work Context)
- You are presenting to an audience nearly every day of the year. Public Speaking: 72% every day (O*NET Work Context)
- More than half of teachers work over 40 hours a week. Duration of Typical Work Week: more than 40 hours 56% (O*NET Work Context)
- Conflict with students and adults is a weekly reality, not a rare event. Conflict Situations: 20% every day, 30% once a week or more (O*NET Work Context)
- You get a lot of say in how you teach, which means your choices are yours to defend. Freedom to Make Decisions: a lot of freedom 50%, some freedom 37% (O*NET Work Context)
How people get into it
O*NET places this job in Job Zone 4. Education data shows 77% of respondents say a bachelor's degree is required, usually in the subject you teach plus a teacher preparation program with student teaching and a state license. Alternative certification is common for career changers with a subject degree.
The Firstday trial, easy to hard
Three simulated tasks at Lakeview High School, a fictional company, with AI coworkers who message you, react to your work and coach with questions. Nobody scores you.
What the trial can't show: This trial cannot show standing in front of 30 teenagers who are deciding whether to respect you, the noise and energy of a full class, coaching or club duties after school, or grading 120 essays on a weekend. Live discussion and class moments here are simulated with typed choices.
Reading about it is one thing.
Find out how the work feels to you before you spend on a degree, course or job change. Your first trial is free.
Other careers you can try
Job details on this page are built from O*NET OnLine, 25-2031.00. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.