Key Skills and Strengths
(teachingdegree.org)
"Ingenuity: Kindergarteners and elementary grade students often view the world with a level of imagination and freshness educators shouldn’t take for granted. They will need to engage a student’s interest with creative assignments and interesting class activities.
"Empathy: Students aged 5-11 will struggle with very different social, domestic, and academic challenges than adults are used to addressing. Teachers will need to understand their students’ perspectives in order to instruct diverse groups and help them achieve their goals.
"Enjoy Working with Children: This might seem obvious, but the role of an elementary school teacher will be infinitely easier and rewarding for those who enjoy working with children. Prospective educators might not consider this characteristic until it is too late. You should assess your previous interactions with children between the ages of 5-11, such as babysitting, and make sure you’ll be able to work with this age group full-time.
"Persistence: Classrooms are known to get unruly, and this age group can be volatile, swinging from quiet interest to temper tantrums to sleepiness within minutes. Educators will need to maintain control of their emotions, exercise patience, and adopt behavior control strategies.
"Communication and Presentation: Teachers will often need to tailor their language to fit their audience, translating texts, lessons, and media into vocabulary that is accessible to children ages 5-11. Additionally, teachers must communicate with parents on a regular basis to praise achievements, address concerns, and collaborate on learning strategies.