High School Teacher Job Descriptions, Average Salary, Interview Questions

What Does a High School Teacher Do?

A high school teacher teaches students from grades 9-12. They may work at public or private schools, and focus on a specific subject to teach. High school teachers are responsible for creating lesson plans, delivering subject materials, and administering assessments. Their duties also include establishing rapport and professional relationships with staff, parents, and students, attending meetings and conferences, and monitoring their students’ overall well-being.

An education degree is required to become a high school teacher along with certification, and a passion for teaching students. High school teachers should have excellent time management and organizational skills, as well as resilience and a positive attitude. Maintaining a high degree of professionalism is crucial along with great interpersonal skills. While being a teacher can at times be tough it can be extremely rewarding to help children grow into happy and productive adults.

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National Average Salary

High school teacher salaries vary by experience, industry, organization size, and geography. To explore salary ranges by local market, please visit our sister site zengig.com.

The average U.S. salary for a High School Teacher is:

$61,890

High School Teacher Job Descriptions

The first step when hiring a great high school teacher is a well-crafted job description. Below are real-world examples to help give you the best chance of success on your recruiting journey.

Example 1

This teacher position is accountable to collaborate with administrators and staff in planning for and leading students to learning success. This position will be accountable for developing and teaching curriculum based on the (state) Common Core Standards.

Duties

  • Design coherent instruction using prescribed unit and lesson structures that align with state standards and emerging best practices.
  • Develop and continually update learning resources and actively participate in professional development .
  • Create an instructional environment characterized by respect and rapport that promotes a culture of learning.
  • Use a variety of instructional strategies that engage students in age-appropriate learning, e.g., computer-assisted, cooperative learning, and various student-centered approaches.
  • Manage student behavior and classroom procedures effectively which promotes a safe learning environment.
  • Assess student learning using formal and informal assessment techniques and utilize that information to drive instruction.
  • Implement student IEPs and participate in the special education process as needed.
  • Maintain accurate and up-to date records and report student progress in accordance with school policy and procedure.
  • Prepare and achieve annual performance expectations as prescribed or approved by administration.
  • Communicate with families on a regular basis and reply to family initiated communication in a timely manner.

Qualifications

  • Valid PA certification in corresponding content area that is being taught.
  • Strong instructional and classroom management skills
  • High level of personal organization and planning
  • Ability to develop rigorous lesson plans and assessments
  • Deep content area knowledge
  • Strong communication and relationship building skills
  • Willingness to participate in ongoing professional development
  • Ability to utilize data to differentiate instruction
  • A commitment to the Promising Principles of ABC Company
  • Strong interpersonal skills, cultural competency, high degree of emotional intelligence and self-awareness with the ability to reflect and adapt to diverse environments.
  • Skilled in the use of Google Suite and willingness to experiment and work with new technologies.

Physical demands

  • Must be able to walk around the classroom at least 75% of the time while engaging with scholars.
  • The person in this position constantly operates a computer and other technology in the classroom to support instruction.
  • The person in this position frequently communicates with various internal and external stakeholders regarding curriculum, instruction and assessment. Must be able to exchange accurate information in these situations
  • When deemed age and/or developmentally appropriate, assist students in daily personal tasks (i.e.-tying shoes, assisting with coats, escorting to busses, and etc.)

Example 2

Responsibilities

  • An educator with an unwavering commitment to the ABC Company mission of college success and authentic civic engagement for our scholars.
  • An outstanding classroom teacher who holds scholars to consistently high behavioral and academic expectations through high support.
  • A self-reflective and self-aware teammate who is dedicated to aligning their classroom to ABC Company’s commitment to antiracism and who is eager to use these skills to contribute to a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
  • A results-driven assessor with experience in and commitment to the use of data analysis to drive instructional decisions and teacher accountability.
  • A professional with deep content-area expertise, who engages scholars with differentiation and strong execution of high-quality curriculum and prepares rigorous and engaging lessons through strong lesson planning.
  • A graduate of a Bachelor’s degree program (required), with 2 years of teaching in urban areas and state certification (preferred).

Duties

  • Work to ensure that scholars enjoy a classroom culture characterized by high expectations and high support.
  • Create an inclusive classroom and school community by engaging in training, reflection, and dialogue around issues of race, identity, diversity, equity, and inclusion for our staff and scholars.
  • Plan and prepare for effective implementation of a coherent, research-based curriculum.
  • Develop and use a variety of assessment data to refine curricula and instructional practice.
  • Maintain strong relationships with scholars, families, and colleagues through effective and frequent communication.
  • Continuously improve your professional practice through weekly coaching sessions, professional development, and collaborative, data-driven reflection with department and grade-level teams.
  • Cultivate the social-emotional well-being of all scholars by building a positive classroom culture that leverages strong partnerships with scholars, their families, and the school’s scholar support team.
  • Foster a life of active citizenship for all scholars through the implementation of age-appropriate conversations and activities centered on current events, participation in community service and outreach opportunities, and active celebration of scholars’ culture, heritage, and identity.
  • Engage in whole-school events and tasks, including transitions, family conferences, tutoring, and other activities/duties as needed and assigned by school leadership.

Example 3

The Math Teacher teaches course curriculum that motivates the student to learn integrating a course of study within the parameters of the school philosophy, (state) State Board of Education, the school’s framework and learning goals.

Responsibilities:

  • Prepare lesson and unit plans, course objectives and outline for course of study following curriculum guidelines and the school’s educational philosophy
  • Instruct students using various teaching methods, such as project-based learning, lecture and demonstration, audiovisual aids and other materials to supplement instruction
  • Prepare and administer tests to evaluate student progress, corrects tests, record results and issues reports to inform parents of progress
  • Involve both students and parents in the evaluation of academic and social goals and the formation of the Individualized Academic Educational Plan (IAEP)
  • Provide individual help to students to maintain satisfactory progress
  • Contribute to the professional learning community to impact student achievement and enhance the learning environment
  • Create and use Competency Based Curriculum (CBE)
  • Learn and use Mastery Connect and Power School to track students’ grades and academic progress
  • Ability to support students with standardized testing (STARs/SAT/PSAT)
  • Ability to differentiate instruction
  • Collaborate with colleagues on school initiatives to promote academic success
  • Confer with parents to discuss student progress, academics, attitudes and achievements
  • Teach rules of conduct and maintain discipline in classroom and on campus
  • Counsel students when adjustment and academic problems arise
  • Maintain attendance, progress reports and grade records as required
  • Actively participate in faculty and professional meetings, open houses, parent conferences, educational conferences, training workshops and other related activities
  • Maintain positive, cooperative, and mutually supportive relationships with the central administration, parents, and representatives of resource agencies
  • Display the highest ethical and professional behavior and standards when working with students, parents, school personnel, and agencies associated with the school
  • Perform other duties as assigned

Qualifications:

  • A minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree in Education or a related field
  • A minimum of two years of experience working with middle or high school students
  • Hold an IL Teaching certificate (ISBE verified)
  • Excellent computer skills
  • Excellent interpersonal, organizational and communication skills, both verbal and written
  • Bilingual – Spanish/English Preferred

Sample Interview Questions

  • Why did you decide to become a teacher?
  • What is your teaching philosophy?
  • Walk me through a typical lesson.
  • How do you motivate students?
  • What did you like/dislike about working remotely?
  • How do you use technology in the classroom?
  • Describe your classroom management structure.
  • How do you incorporate social-emotional learning in your lessons?
  • What role do you believe diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives should play in your classroom and in the school?
  • How will you encourage parents to support their children’s education?
Pete Newsome

About Pete Newsome

Pete Newsome is the President of 4 Corner Resources, the staffing and recruiting firm he founded in 2005. 4 Corner is a member of the American Staffing Association and TechServe Alliance and has been Clearly Rated's top-rated staffing company in Central Florida for the past five years. Recent awards and recognition include being named to Forbes’ Best Recruiting Firms in America, The Seminole 100, and The Golden 100. Pete also founded zengig, to offer comprehensive career advice, tools, and resources for students and professionals. He hosts two podcasts, Hire Calling and Finding Career Zen, and is blazing new trails in recruitment marketing with the latest artificial intelligence (AI) technology. Connect with Pete on LinkedIn

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