What does a High School Teacher do?
High School Teachers are employed by public or private high schools and work with students in the ninth through 12th grades. At the high school level, Teachers typically focus on one subject, either a core content area, such as English, science or history, or electives, such as music, art or technology. They might teach only one grade or have classes at different grade levels throughout the day. High School Teachers create and teach lessons based on the state’s established learning objectives for the subject. They may have extra duties, such as detention or study hall supervision, and many High School Teachers coach sports or lead extracurricular activities outside of school hours.
High School Teacher skills and qualifications
A successful High School Teacher comes to the classroom with a wide range of prerequisite skills and qualifications, including:
- Strong written and verbal communication skills to work with students, parents, fellow teachers and administrators
- Ability to create and teach effective lesson plans related to the subject
- Subject matter expertise to teach the topics effectively
- Knowledge of behavior management strategies to keep students engaged and learning
- Strong organizational and time management skills
- Creative and engaging presentation skills
- Confidence using technology to enhance student learning
- Resourcefulness to teach effectively given the available resources and student skill levels
High School Teacher experience requirements
New High School Teachers qualify for classroom positions right out of college once they earn their teaching license. They complete several classroom experiences while earning their bachelor’s degree. High School Teachers also complete a student teaching assignment, which typically lasts a full semester and involves working alongside an experienced Teacher full-time in a high school classroom. Some districts prefer candidates with a few years of teaching experience.
High School Teacher education and training requirements
Education requirements for High School Teacher careers can vary by state, but all High School Teachers working in public schools must have at least a bachelor’s degree in all states. The degree typically needs to be in a primary content area taught in high school, such as English, history, science or math. It must also be earned through an accredited teacher education program. States also require licensing, which usually includes completing student teaching, taking a teaching certification test and passing a background check. Most states require teachers to earn continuing education credits and teach a minimum amount of time to maintain certification.
High School Teacher salary expectations
According to Indeed Salaries, the average salary for a High School Teacher is $47,772 per year. Salaries vary based on the location, teacher experience and school type, whether public or private.
High School Teacher salary expectations
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Common salary:
61301.13 YEARLY -
Typical salaries range from
16000.00 -134000.00 YEARLY - Find more information on Indeed Salaries
*Indeed data –
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High School Teacher job description FAQs
What qualities make a good High School Teacher?
A good High School Teacher is a lifelong learner. They love the challenge of teaching kids new and often complex material. They know how to connect with high school students from different backgrounds who have varying interests, knowledge and learning styles. Strong candidates are compassionate and stay calm in hectic classroom situations.
Who does a High School Teacher report to?
High School Teachers typically have a large degree of autonomy within their classrooms, although they still report to one or more people above them for accountability. In some high schools, they report to Lead Teachers, who serve as mentors for the teaching staff. They also report to Assistant Principals, Principals and Superintendents, with each person handling different aspects of supervision. High School Teachers typically don’t have a lot of direct interaction with Superintendents but would be more likely to report to the school Principal.
How can you make your High School Teacher job description stand out?
Use your job description to show what makes your school district or the high school you’re hiring for unique. Examples include emphasizing the small size of the school, close-knit staff or resources available to teachers in the district. Mention if the school focuses on STEM, the arts or another discipline. Include your district’s values and initiatives as well as the specific curriculum that’s used in the classroom.
*Indeed provides this information as a courtesy to users of this site. Please note that we are not your recruiting or legal advisor, we are not responsible for the content of your job descriptions, and none of the information provided herein guarantees performance.
