What does a Lead 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.
Lead 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 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
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