Elementary School Teacher
Elementary school teachers teach and facilitate the learning of children ranging in age from four to 12 years in Kindergarten to Grade 6.
Educator, Instructor, School Teacher, Teacher, Music Teacher
In Canada, the federal government groups and organizes occupations based on a National Occupational Classification (NOC) system. This alis occupation may not reflect the entire NOC group it is part of. Data for the NOC group can apply across multiple occupations.
The NOC system is updated every 5 years to reflect changes in the labour market. Government forms and labour market data may group and refer to an occupation differently, depending on the system used. Here is how this occupation has been classified over time:
Starting | $27.25 |
---|---|
Overall | $41.01 |
Top | $51.03 |
Interest in leading students in activities to promote their physical, mental and social development; in participating in staff meetings, educational conferences and teacher training workshops; and in preparing examinations
Interests in co-ordinating information to prepare courses for presentation to students according to curriculum, to identify children's individual learning needs and to prepare and implement remedial programs for students requiring extra help
Interest in instructing students using a systematic plan of lessons, discussions, audio-visual presentations and field trips; and in assigning and correcting homework and administering and correcting examinations; may supervise teachers' aides and student teachers
The interest code helps you figure out if you’d like to work in a particular occupation.
It’s based on the Canadian Work Preference Inventory (CWPI), which measures 5 occupational interests: Directive, Innovative, Methodical, Objective and Social.
Each set of 3 interest codes is listed in order of importance.
A code in capital letters means it’s a strong fit for the occupation.
A code in all lowercase letters means the fit is weaker.
In general, elementary school teachers:
Elementary classes vary in size and include students who represent a broad range of abilities, interests and needs. A variety of instructional and assessment strategies are required to maintain student interest and maximize individual learning.
In addition, elementary teachers:
Most elementary teachers are responsible for a homeroom class of 20 to 33 children and teach most subjects. Some teachers team teach or teach music, second languages or physical education at different grade levels.
Elementary teachers who have specialized in Early Childhood Education are prepared to work with children from kindergarten to Grade 3. These programs focus on the development of positive self-concepts in young children and include planning, organizing and providing a wide variety of developmentally appropriate experiences that foster understanding and use of language through:
Most kindergarten teachers in urban areas teach two different groups of children each day (one in the morning, one in the afternoon). In rural areas, kindergarten teachers often work in half day or alternate full day programs.
Many schools in Alberta offer language immersion or bilingual programs in Arabic, French, German, Hebrew, Mandarin, Polish, Spanish, Ukrainian, native and other languages. In addition, the number of non-English speaking immigrant children in the province has created a need for English as a Second Language (ESL) and English Language Learners (ELL) teachers. ESL and ELL classes usually are taught by elementary teachers who have completed related university course work...
Teaching is a physically and emotionally demanding occupation that requires a high level of energy. Much of the time teachers are on their feet interacting with children. Teachers are required to maintain a positive learning environment while addressing the intellectual, physical, social and emotional needs of students from diverse backgrounds. A teacher's day, therefore, is busy and requires careful attention to a wide variety of responsibilities concurrently.
Elementary school teachers need the following characteristics:
They should enjoy finding different ways to solve problems and present information, and organizing and co-ordinating the work of others.
In Alberta, the minimum qualification required to teach in an elementary school is four years of post-secondary education leading to a bachelor of education (B.Ed.) degree.
The following schools offer programs and courses that meet this occupation’s educational requirements. Other eligible programs and courses may be available.
The following schools offer programs or courses that are related to this occupation but are not required to enter the field.
For a broad list of programs and courses that may be related to this occupation try searching using keywords.
Competition for admission to quota programs often is keen. Post-secondary institutions may give preference to applicants who have experience working with children in a leadership capacity. Valuable experience can be obtained from:
Elementary school teachers teach and facilitate the learning of children ranging in age from four to 12 years (Kindergarten to Grade 6). Secondary school teachers may be generalists or subject area specialists who provide instruction to young people in junior and senior high school (Grades 7 to 12).
Under Alberta's School Act and Certification of Teachers Regulation, school teachers must be certificated by Alberta Education.
Minimum requirements for an interim professional certificate: (1) four years of university education and a recognized degree including 48 semester hour credits in teacher education coursework and 10 weeks of supervised student teaching at an approved institution, (2) a Statement of Professional Standing from the jurisdictions in which applicants were trained and last taught, (3) verification of currency of teaching experience, (4) evidence of Canadian citizenship or permanent residency, and (5) proficiency in English or French.
Requirements for a permanent professional certificate: (1) the equivalent of two years of full time teaching experience in Alberta, (2) at least two successful evaluations of classroom performance based upon requirements in the Teaching Quality Standard, and (3) a positive recommendation from the employing Superintendent of Schools or, in the case of private schools, from a Designated Signing Authority.
For official, detailed information including coursework requirements for elementary and secondary teachers, visit Alberta Education's teacher certification website or contact the Professional Standards branch.
Teachers who are certified by and in good standing with a regulatory organization elsewhere in Canada may be eligible for certification in Alberta if certified teachers in the two jurisdictions have similar responsibilities and competencies. For more information, see "What if I am already certified in another province or territory?" and the Alberta regulatory authority (below).
Professional Standards
Alberta Education
2nd Floor, 44 Capital Boulevard Building
10044 - 108 Street
Edmonton, Alberta
Canada T5J 5E6
Phone number: 780-427-2045
Toll-free phone number (within Alberta): 310-0000 and then 780-427-2045
Fax number: 780-422-4199
Website: www.education.alberta.ca/teachers/certification.aspx
Elementary teachers are employed in:
To find employment, new graduates may relocate to rural or isolated communities or work as supply (substitute) teachers.
With experience and additional training, elementary school teachers may advance to positions such as:
Elementary school teachers are part of the larger 2011 National Occupational Classification 4032: Elementary school and kindergarten teachers. In Alberta, 99% of people employed in this classification work in the Educational Services (PDF) industry.
The employment outlook in this occupation will be influenced by a wide variety of factors including:
Over 21,300 Albertans are employed in the Elementary school and kindergarten teachers occupational group. This group is expected to have a below-average annual growth of 1.5% from 2016 to 2020. As a result, 320 new positions are forecast to be created each year, in addition to job openings created by employment turnover. Note: As elementary school teachers form only a part of this larger occupational group, only some of these newly created positions will be for elementary school teachers.
Employment turnover is expected to increase as members of the baby boom generation retire over the next few years. The Alberta Teachers' Association estimates that about 900 teaching positions will become vacant each year due to retirement.
Salaries vary from one school board to another because wages and benefits are determined by collective agreements between boards and their teachers. Teachers are paid according to a grid system which is based on number of years of training and experience. Administrators such as school principals receive an additional allowance.
All teachers employed in Alberta's publicly supported schools are members of the Alberta Teachers' Association (ATA) and are automatically included under the Alberta Teachers Pension Plan Act. Holidays and pensions are specified by provincial legislation. However, teachers often use the summer break period of July and August, or Christmas and spring break holidays, for professional development or for fulfilling additional professional responsibilities.
Wages* | Low (5th percentile) | High (95th percentile) | Average | Median |
---|---|---|---|---|
Starting | $21.05 | $36.64 | $27.25 | $28.40 |
Overall | $33.35 | $52.70 | $41.01 | $39.39 |
Top | $40.55 | $72.81 | $51.03 | $48.65 |
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* All wage estimates are hourly except where otherwise indicated. Wages and salaries do not include overtime hours, tips, benefits, profit shares, bonuses (unrelated to production) and other forms of compensation.
Good Reliability, represents a CV of between 6.01% and 15.00% and/or fewer than 30 survey observations and/or if survey observations represent less than 50% of all estimated employment for the occupation.
Educational Services | $79,186 |
---|---|
ALL INDUSTRIES | $78,971 |
Public Administration | $56,678 |
Alberta Teachers' Association (ATA) website: www.teachers.ab.ca
For more information on career planning, education and jobs, visit the Alberta Learning Information Service (ALIS) website, call the Alberta Career Information Hotline toll-free at 1-800-661-3753 or 780-422-4266 in Edmonton, or visit an Alberta Works Centre near you.
Updated Feb 01, 2012. The information contained in this profile is current as of the dates shown. Salary, employment outlook and educational program information may change without notice. It is advised that you confirm this information before making any career decisions.