• Secondary School Teacher Job Description

    A secondary school teacher is a person whose profession is to teach and educate young people who are usually between the ages of 11 and 18. Secondary school teachers play an important role in the lives of their students, as they contribute to their personal and social development and inspire them toward greatness.

    A secondary school teacher should be responsible, organized, imaginative, enthusiastic, understanding and friendly, and have good observational, listening and communication skills. They should be able to motivate and inspire enthusiasm in teenagers, and describe and explain things to them effectively.

    Pursue a career as a secondary school teacher if you are passionate about teaching and interested in working with teenagers. You should be a responsible person who can lead and motivate people, especially teenagers.
  • What does a Secondary School Teacher do?

    Secondary school teachers may do some or all of the following:

    • work with young students, control and discipline them
    • enforce school rules and policies
    • teach students how to develop focus, self-discipline and other good working habits
    • plan, prepare and deliver lessons in accordance with regulatory guidelines
    • set, mark and record assignments, tests and exams
    • observe and evaluate students performance, behavior, and development to identify problems
    • discuss students problems and concerns with parents, guardians and administrators
    • organize and participate in extracurricular activities such as excursions, sporting activities and musical concerts
    • monitor students playgrounds and extracurricular activities
    • attend and participate in staff meetings, PTA meetings and other school activities
    • keep up to date with curriculum changes and developments in teaching methods
    • coach and supervise trainee teachers and teacher assistants
    • perform a range of administrative duties
  • Where does a Secondary School Teacher work?
  • Working Conditions

    Secondary school teachers usually work a minimum of 7 hours every day from Monday to Friday. They work in classrooms, offices, laboratories, libraries, and students’ playfields.

    Secondary school teachers may travel to accompany students on excursions, sporting activities and other social and educational activities. Their job may be difficult when dealing with unmotivated or disruptive students.

  • What is Required to Become a Secondary School Teacher?

    To become a secondary school teacher, you will need a postgraduate certificate in education or a bachelor of education degree. Secondary school teachers may be required to be registered to practice.

  • Modules
  • Specializations
  • Knowledge, Skills and Attributes

    Secondary school teachers need to have:

    • patience
    • adaptability
    • friendliness
    • discipline
    • self-motivation
    • confidence
    • resilience
    • creativity and imagination
    • honesty and integrity
    • manual dexterity
    • good concentration
    • good memory
    • good attention to detail
    • good listening and communication skills
    • good analytical and problem solving skills
    • good judgment and decision making skills
    • time management and organizational skills
    • leadership skills
    • persuasion skills
    • the ability to work with teenagers
    • the ability to make learning fun
    • the ability to work well under pressure
    • the ability to give good advice and motivate others
    • the ability to relate to people from a range of background and cultures
    • the ability to handle conflict effectively
    • the ability to present information in a clear and logical sequence
    • the ability to give a good introduction to a subject
    • knowledge of safety and emergency procedures
    • knowledge of instructional methods, teaching styles and learning styles
    • knowledge of behavior management techniques
    • knowledge of learning difficulties and how to identify them
    • knowledge of their school policies and guidelines
    • knowledge of the curriculum subjects they are handling
    • knowledge of how to plan units and lessons

References

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Alternative Careers
  • Primary School Teacher
  • Tertiary Lecturer
  • School Principal
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