Teacher Job Description & Roles and Responsibilities
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Teacher Job Description & Roles and Responsibilities

Updated on 16 Dec 2025, 11:33 AM IST

A teacher acts as a guide who shapes a student's academic and career journey. These professionals influence students’ social and emotional behaviours and help them become responsible citizens. Teachers not only teach, but also plan lessons, explain concepts clearly and manage classrooms. This article is aimed at providing an in-depth analysis on how to become a Teacher, along with a detailed job description, roles and responsibilities to help you make a wise career decision.

This Story also Contains

  1. Teacher Job Description
  2. What are the Teacher Roles and Responsibilities?
  3. Qualifications Required to Become a Teacher
  4. What are the Skills Required to Become a Teacher?
  5. Career Progression of Teachers
  6. Types of Teachers Based On Education Levels
  7. Top Recruiters of Teachers
  8. Conclusion on Teacher Job Description & Roles and Responsibilities
Teacher Job Description & Roles and Responsibilities
Teacher Job Description & Roles and Responsibilities

Teacher Job Description

Teachers aim for the holistic educational development of children. Along with academic lessons, they focus on the mental, emotional and physical growth of students through engaging in extracurricular activities. The teacher uses a variety of teaching methods and techniques to ensure an effective and inclusive learning environment in the classroom.

Key duties in the teacher job description include:

  • Preparing an academic curriculum and imparting all the necessary knowledge to students.

  • Maintaining a supportive and affectionate environment to make education more of a life lesson than just an academic achievement.

  • Provides feedback to students to help them understand their true potential and work on weaknesses.

What are the Teacher Roles and Responsibilities?

The roles and responsibilities of a teacher are more diverse than just giving academic lessons. A teacher aims to develop a student on both personal and professional levels. Here are some of the teacher job descriptions, along with roles and responsibilities:

Core responsibilities:

1. Designing Curriculum:

A teacher's duties include designing a curriculum that involves all the necessary lessons taught in the classroom. It is a crucial role that needs to be fulfilled with utmost attention, as imparting appropriate knowledge at an appropriate level is very important for the effective learning of the students.

2. Teaching methodologies:

A teacher's duties and responsibilities include using effective teaching methods to give lessons. An inclusive and interesting classroom helps the students to engage more in their studies. A teacher should also introduce ways like storytelling, art, and visuals, along with the latest technology, to improve learning.

4. Mentoring and Counselling:

A teacher's job duties include acting as a mentor and counsellor for the students. Students seek help from a teacher whenever they need advice, guidance, and support in academic as well as personal life. A teacher motivates the students and helps them navigate the challenges they face.

5. Analysing and Evaluation:

A teacher should be skilled in evaluating students and giving feedback to help them improve their performance. Correct evaluation and analysis of a student is very important to help them learn from their mistakes and grow. A teacher's position description should also state being committed to her ethics and motivating students through constant evaluation rather than criticising the poor performance of a student.

6. Continuous learner:

A teacher not only guides a student in learning but also works on self by continuously learning and enhancing skills. A teacher can do this by attending workshops, opting for further education, and even participating in professional programmes. Learning is not only possible through professional courses but also from fellow mates and even students.

Qualifications Required to Become a Teacher

Qualifications of a teacher involve various aspects.

Minimum requirements:

Professional examinations:

Professional Courses:

What are the Skills Required to Become a Teacher?

A teacher must have a variety of skills, like great educational knowledge, good communication skills, and empathy. The duty of a teacher includes having excellent organisational skills to plan teaching strategies. A teacher must know how to adapt to changing trends in the educational sector. Here are some more skills a teacher should have:

  • Problem-solving capabilities

  • Communication skills

  • Creativity

  • Empathy

  • Commitment to the passion for teaching

  • Classroom management

Career Progression of Teachers

A teacher work description may progress on various levels depending on factors like expertise and experience. The role of a teacher advances with improvement in her knowledge and managerial and leadership skills. For example, those interested in early childhood education can explore how to become a kindergarten teacher, while others seeking more specialised roles in inclusive learning can research how to become a special education teacher or also how to become a physical education teacher.

Here are some of the common roles played by a teacher in the career path:

1. Entry-level Teachers:

Fresh graduate students are usually hired at entry-level positions like substitute teachers, assistant teachers, or full-time teachers in lower grades. Their roles and responsibilities may remain the same as senior teachers, except for making managerial decisions. They generally work on the implementation of strategies made by the senior teachers or HODs.

2. High-school Teachers:

After gaining experience with classroom management skills and advanced knowledge of their subjects, primary teachers are promoted to teach higher grades. They may also assist new trainee teachers and participate in activities like designing a curriculum. High-school teachers usually focus on the subject of their expertise instead of teaching all the subjects to the class like a primary school teacher.

3. Head Of Department:

Teachers may progress to become the Head of the Department of their specialised subject after gaining relevant experience and leadership skills. They are then responsible for all the plans and strategies being built regarding their subject or department. The HODs manage a team of teachers under them.

4. Principal:

A teacher responsibilities include possessing great experience and managerial skills, and are often promoted to the post of principal. He or she is responsible for managing the operations of the entire school. The principal ensures a positive learning environment in the school, supports teachers, and shapes the academic experience of students.

Types of Teachers Based On Education Levels

Teaching roles are different with the age difference and academic level of students. Some popular types of teaching are given below.

  • Pre-primary teacher

  • Primary teacher

  • Secondary teacher

  • Higher secondary teacher

  • Online Education

Top Recruiters of Teachers

Teaching careers mainly attract jobs in schools and other educational institutions, like coaching centres. A teacher may also work as a tutor to guide students outside the classroom. All educational institutes require teachers in the frontline of their workforce. Here are some of the top recruiters of teachers:

  • Government Schools

  • Delhi Public School

  • DAV Public School

  • Unacademy

  • Udemy

Salary of Teachers in Popular Companies

The average salary of a teacher in India ranges between Rs. 2.6 Lakhs - 2.9 Lakhs. It depends on various factors like experience, expertise, size, and location of the institution. Here is a list of the salaries of top recruiters in India:

Top Recruiters

Average Annual Salary

Government Schools

Rs 3.2 Lakhs - 3.6 Lakhs

Delhi Public School

Rs. 2.9 Lakhs - 3.6 Lakhs

DAV Public School

Rs. 2.2 Lakhs - 3.1 Lakhs

Vedantu

Rs. 3.8 Lakhs - 4.5 Lakhs

Unacademy

Rs. 6.3 Lakhs - 7.8 Lakhs

Source: Ambition Box

Conclusion on Teacher Job Description & Roles and Responsibilities

The primary duty of teacher is to teach, guide, motivate, and evaluate students for their academic and personal development. Teachers are responsible for strengthening the roots of knowledge and intelligence to develop a strong future for children. To ensure effective teaching, a teacher must be passionate and committed to their work. Pursuing a career as a teacher not only attracts a good reputation but also offers a stable salary and growth opportunities.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: Can I become a teacher without bachelor’s degree?
A:

Yes, you can become a teacher without even holding a bachelor’s degree by pursuing a certified teaching programme.

Q: Are teachers paid during summer vacations?
A:

Yes, some teachers in India are paid even when they are having a summer vacation. Often when teachers are in a contract-based hiring they are not paid any remuneration during summer vacation.

Q: Can a teacher work from home?
A:

A teacher can do tasks like checking assignments, Maintaining records, and preparing reports from home but needs to visit the school for teaching.

Q: Are teachers paid monthly or hourly?
A:

Generally, a teacher is paid on monthly basis and she can opt for tutoring as well to have an extra hourly income.