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Lead Teacher Job Description: Top Duties and Qualifications

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A 1195209024daycare8.88child care8.76preschool teacher6.17teacher5.84lead teacher2.392107312743047.2517.1032.65HOURLY18301189052025-10-012025-10-312025-09-012025-09-302025-11-05Lead Teacher, or Head Teacher, is a teacher who provides guidance and mentorship to other teachers in their grade level or subject. Their duties include writing lesson plans, managing classroom behavior and providing after-school tutoring.

1195209024daycare8.88child care8.76preschool teacher6.17teacher5.84lead teacher2.392107312743047.2517.1032.65HOURLY18301189052025-10-012025-10-312025-09-012025-09-302025-11-05Lead Teacher duties and responsibilities

A 1195209024daycare8.88child care8.76preschool teacher6.17teacher5.84lead teacher2.392107312743047.2517.1032.65HOURLY18301189052025-10-012025-10-312025-09-012025-09-302025-11-05Lead Teacher is responsible for taking the considerations of Teachers, administration and parents into account and using those preferences to craft educational structures that allow the students to learn. Lead Teachers still conduct their own classes like any other Teacher, but they also have additional responsibilities, such as:

  • Meeting with parents to discuss the goals and needs of students in their program
  • Coordinating with administration to create education plans for the students
  • Sitting in on the classes of other Teachers in an observational role
  • Using information from observations to help other teachers grow by noting ineffective areas and sharing alternative methods that are more successful
  • Assisting Teachers in the creation of lesson plans or in solving problems the Teacher is struggling to find a solution for
  • Tracking the academic performance of students for signs of progress

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Lead Teacher Job Description Examples

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Indeed’s Employer Resource Library helps businesses grow and manage their workforce. With over 15,000 articles in 6 languages, we offer tactical advice, how-tos and best practices to help businesses hire and retain great employees.

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What does a 1195209024daycare8.88child care8.76preschool teacher6.17teacher5.84lead teacher2.392107312743047.2517.1032.65HOURLY18301189052025-10-012025-10-312025-09-012025-09-302025-11-05Lead Teacher do?

Lead Teachers work at pre-K, elementary, middle and high schools to teach age-appropriate knowledge and skills to groups of students and guide other teachers. Their role is to educate their class on subject-specific concepts and provide them with opportunities for social-emotional learning and development of life skills. Lead Teachers communicate with parents about their child’s progress and create action plans for addressing issues in behavior or academic performance. They develop worksheets and activities to help each student engage with educational content. Outside of the classroom, they supervise lunch, recess, field trips and passing periods.

1195209024daycare8.88child care8.76preschool teacher6.17teacher5.84lead teacher2.392107312743047.2517.1032.65HOURLY18301189052025-10-012025-10-312025-09-012025-09-302025-11-05Lead Teacher skills and qualifications

Because a Lead Teacher has to work with such a broad range of individuals from children to school administrators and also fills multiple roles, they must possess many skills to succeed:

  • Communication skills
  • Strong teaching abilities
  • Leadership skills
  • Empathy
  • Decision-making skills
  • Organizational skills
  • Conflict resolution skills

Lead Teacher salary expectations

A Lead Teacher’s average salary is $12.78 per hour. Salaries depend on the school’s location and funding as well as the candidate’s level of education, years of experience in the classroom as well as years served in leadership roles.

Lead Teacher salary expectations

2025-10-017.2517.1032.65HOURLY
  • Common salary: 17.10 HOURLY
  • Typical salaries range from 7.25 - 32.65 HOURLY
  • Find more information on Indeed Salaries

*Indeed data – 2025-10-01

Lead Teacher education and training requirements

In order to be considered for a Lead Teacher position, an individual will need to have completed at least their bachelor’s degree in an education field. To be hired at an accredited school, a Teacher will also be required to pass their state’s Board of Education Certification Exam. Candidates with a master’s degree can bring more advanced practice and knowledge to this role and the organization. However, exact education requirements may vary by state.

Lead Teacher experience requirements

Because a Lead Teacher role is an advanced position and also contains mentorship elements, it is common to require prior experience when listing a job opening. A qualified candidate will typically have several years’ experience working in the department for which they’re applying.

Job description samples for similar positions

If you’re writing a job description for a related position to a Lead Teacher, see our job descriptions for similar roles:

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Frequently asked questions about Lead Teachers

Three individuals are sitting at a table with a laptop, a disposable coffee cup, notebooks, and a phone visible. Two are facing each other, while the third’s back is to the camera. The setting appears to be a bright room with large windows.

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Job Description Examples

Need help writing a job description for a specific role? Use these job description examples to create your next great job posting. Or if you’re ready to hire, post your job on Indeed.

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