20 Types Of Teachers (Updated 2023) (2023)

Teaching someone is perhaps the best gift you can give them.

When you teach a person something, you give them a skill for life, not just a quick fix to the problem.

Some people know that their calling is to become a teacher of some kind, but no two teaching jobs are exactly alike.

If you are thinking of becoming a teacher, there are many different types of teacher jobs that could be a good fit for you.

Let’s take a look at the top 20 types of teachers and whether or not your skillset would be a good fit for one of these positions.

1. Elementary School Teacher

One of the most popular types of teachers is the elementary school teacher.

Elementary school teachers will typically work with children who are in kindergarten or first grade through the fifth or sixth grade.

With elementary school students, the teacher stays with the class for the entire year, and then they graduate to a new teacher the following year.

Elementary school teachers need to be able to teach kids things that will help them learn to read and complete basic math problems, but they also must learn to manage behavior and the classroom.

The elementary school teacher needs a wide range of skills to be able to complete their job well.

2. High School Teacher

A high school teacher deals a bit less with classroom management and can focus more on content that is transferred to the student.

High school teachers typically need to pick a subject that they are experts in, and they will teach the same subject for several classes a day.

The high school teacher needs to attend a college that will go over the basics of education and then in-depth study into the subject that they plan to teach.

Many high school teachers were professionals in their fields and discovered that they enjoyed teaching young people.

High school teachers get great retirement packages and will have a great influence on the lives of young people about to head out into the real world.

3. College Professor

A college professor is a college-level teacher.

College professors are very knowledgeable in their fields and are able to convey information to students from a lifetime of knowledge and experience.

With a college professor, the job becomes more about the knowledge that the professor has to share.

Many professors will not even take attendance in their classes as they assume that college kids can handle themselves, and they will show up on time and do as they are told.

A college professor typically has some connection to the school that they work for, and they can be either full-time professors or simply teach a few classes a week.

College professors are more subject matter experts than generalists.

Many students who choose a career in nursing, accounting, or teaching will have a professor who was once actively involved in this field of study.

4. Preschool Teacher

Preschool kids are those in the three- to five-year age range.

These kids are learning how to communicate with friends, how to socialize, and how to count and say their ABCs.

Although the academic side of preschool education is not nearly as rigorous as it is for upper grades, preschool teachers face their own challenges.

Preschool teachers must have great classroom management skills, and they will have to help children with basic life skills.

A preschool teacher can have great days that are fun and enjoyable and those that can be very tiring.

In the end, it takes a person with quite a bit of patience to be a preschool teacher.

5. Special Education Teacher

Special education teachers can help those who have special learning needs.

Some special education teachers will work with autistic children, kids with Down Syndrome, or those who have learning disabilities.

The special education teacher must have a wide range of understanding about the different types of special needs that children can have.

In addition, special education teachers must also be knowledgeable about those who are gifted learners.

The term “special education” does not always mean that there is a deficit.

Instead, it simply means that the child may have a learning difference.

6. ESL Teacher

An English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher will teach English to those who are not born with English as their first language.

Some of the ESL teachers will work with adults and children who have just moved to the area.

Other times, the children have lived in the local area their entire lives, but at home, English is not spoken.

These kids can have a hard time in school with being able to communicate with teachers and complete written work.

The ESL teacher is typically quite knowledgeable in several foreign languages, and they can find the similarities between the first language of the child and the English language.

The early the ESL teacher can intervene and start teaching the language, the easier it is for kids to pick up on the new language.

7. Technical College Teacher

Many young adults are finding that traditional college is not the best method for them.

Instead, a technical school that teaches things like electrical skills or construction can be a really good skill that young people can use to make money their entire life.

Overall, the technical college teacher is teaching a skill that the young people can take with them for the rest of their lives to create a living for themselves.

The technical college teacher has typically had a career using the skill that they are teaching, and they now want something with more consistency for a career.

Some technical college teachers do this to give back after they have had a successful career.

8. STEM Teacher

A STEM teacher is someone that teaches science, technology, engineering, and math.

With the way our world is changing and how more and more people have to be interested in technology, a STEM teacher is a very important member of society.

STEM teachers are good at what they do because they can make learning fun and interesting.

Young kids are learning more STEM-related skills at an early age, and they tend to be very interested in these classes and what they have to offer.

The STEM teacher has to have a good amount of knowledge in science for this to be a good career choice.

9. Art Teacher

The art teacher will teach children and adults of all ages how to create art.

Art teachers typically teach things like painting, drawing, and even sculpture.

The art teachers for younger children can introduce basic concepts, but for older children, the art teachers typically get more involved in art history, skill, and technique.

Art teachers need to be able to help students who are great at art and simply need some direction as well as those who are brand new and have very few skills.

An art teacher typically has to be very artistic and have a high level of skill.

Many art teachers are professional or accomplished artists themselves, and they can also have high-level degrees in art.

10. Physical Education Teacher

A physical education teacher is someone who specializes in teaching younger people how to play sports and stay active.

With physical education teachers, there is quite a bit of study about the human body and what is good for it.

Kids need activity and time to spend running around, and physical education often becomes one of the favorite classes for younger people.

Physical education teachers often work as coaches, and they help to develop skills that people can use their entire lives.

These teachers will also educate people on how to get and remain healthy and why it is such an important thing for all people to remember.

11. Music Teacher

A music teacher will educate students on how to read music as well as how to play certain instruments.

Many music teachers will also be in charge of the local band or orchestra.

The music teacher has quite a bit of skill when it comes to playing a variety of instruments and being knowledgeable in reading music.

It is one thing to learn how to read music, but it is another to be able to teach it to people.

The music teacher is well trained in music history and can work with several different genres to be able to nurture the love of music in young people.

Music teachers typically stay involved with other music-type events and concerts outside of school.

12. Remote Education Teacher

After the Covid-19 pandemic, more and more teachers were having to adjust to teaching students online.

Online education is a great way to transfer knowledge from one person to another across the world.

The great thing about remote education is that it can often take place at various times of the day that are outside of the normal school hours.

With remote education teachers, the teaching skill is a bit different.

Teachers will have to learn how to communicate and help students who are not in their physical presence.

Many different types of technological tools can help make this process of remote education a bit better, but it is still a newer form of learning for both teacher and student.

One of the great things for a teacher who is good at this remote education is that they can find jobs all over the world.

Even if your local town has no openings for teachers, the remote jobs need filling.

13. Business Teachers

Business teachers can teach people how to run a business and the skills necessary to track how a business is doing.

The best business teachers typically have high-level degrees in business, and they have also had experience in the world of business.

If you have ever owned a business yourself or have worked for high-level corporations, you may have the skills necessary to become a business teacher.

One of the best things about business teachers is that they can help give students a skill and learning experience that they can use for the rest of their lives.

Business teachers can teach anything from marketing to accounting to investing and loans.

There are quite a few careers that students can choose from after having a good experience with a great business teacher.

14. Foreign Language Teachers

Foreign language teachers will teach languages such as Spanish, French, German or Italian.

A foreign language teacher will start with basic reading and writing and then move on to teaching the students to speak the language fluently.

The foreign language teacher has the opposite job of the ESL teachers as they must ensure that people are learning a new language that is different than English.

One of the best ways to learn a new language is to immerse yourself in a country where they speak the language.

The problem with this for most teachers is that it won’t be possible to fully immerse the students, and the language learning process can take longer.

People can get easily frustrated with learning a new language, and foreign language teachers need to learn how to overcome this and effectively communicate with students.

15. Middle School Teachers

Middle school teachers typically teach the children from sixth through eighth grade.

Kids in this age group are going through a lot of changes, and there are plenty of emotions to deal with on top of the educational principles that need to be put in place.

Middle school teachers are going to have a subject that they specialize in, much like the high school teachers that we discussed earlier.

These teachers will manage their time between several classes a day, and they will have grading and research to do for hundreds of students.

If you are strong in math, science, or history, you may do well in a middle school teaching job that focuses on one of these specialties.

However, some schools take a different approach to middle school, and some teachers teach a variety of core skills.

Expect teaching middle school to be a bit of a mix between elementary school teaching and high school teaching.

16. Reading Specialist

A reading specialist is a teacher who can help those who are struggling with learning how to read.

Reading is a very difficult skill for some people to pick up on, and it can sometimes take years for this to click.

However, for success in American society, people need to be able to read.

A reading specialist typically works with the younger kids in first and second grades when reading needs to be picked up.

Some students still struggle beyond this point, and the reading specialists will work with them for as long as it is necessary.

If you have always had a good understanding of the English language, as well as plenty of patience, being a reading specialist could be a good choice for you to consider.

17. History Teachers

History teachers will help to make the history of the world and the United States considerably more interesting.

A history teacher typically goes to school to study history themselves and then can take this information and share it with students and those who are interested in learning.

History requires a lot of memorization, but many history teachers can make this information quite a bit more interesting.

When people connect to stories and feel as though they have some stake in the way that history has developed, they will be much more interested.

History teachers have such a wide range of material that they can use to teach people, so you can expect this to be a very interesting career where some students will grasp a significant love for history.

18. Technology Teacher

Technology is very important, and people of all ages need to be trained in how technology can be used.

Technology teachers will be able to teach those who are young and trying to create a career in technology and those who are older and simply need help learning how technology can be used in their day-to-day lives.

With the career of a technology teacher, you can decide what your specialty is and try and work your way around that.

Learning about how computer systems work or how homes or businesses can be set up to run more intelligently is an incredible skill for people to learn.

If you happen to be good with technology-related things, a career as a technology teacher is a perfect fit.

19. Curriculum And Instruction Specialists

One thing that people often forget when choosing a career is the training of those who need a career.

If you are interested in the skill of teaching people, a curriculum and instruction specialist can be a perfect option.

These teachers will help other teachers understand how to develop and build out their curriculum choices and how to best convey this information to their students.

The curriculum and instruction specialists are typically experts in the materials that are available on the market for teachers to use.

They will study these things intently and make decisions about how this information can be properly transferred to the students in the class.

20. Continuing Education Teacher

Last but certainly not least is the continuing education teacher.

For those who are interested in higher education and helping people expand their careers and become true professionals, the continuing education teacher is a great option to consider.

With continuing education, you can pick a skill that you have that you are great at and then start to share that with people who are working to become just like you.

Continuing education teachers deal with adults who are serious about their lives and the moves they are making.

They must be accommodating to the fact that people will have a career and sometimes even a family as they are working on their continuing education.

This can complicate the process and make it harder to reach goals.

Continuing education teachers typically have to be flexible in their hours as well.

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