4031 – Secondary school teachers

Secondary school teachers prepare and teach academic, technical, vocational or specialized subjects at public and private secondary schools. Secondary school teachers who are heads of departments are included in this unit group.

Profile

Index of titles

Example titles

• Aboriginal school community teacher – secondary school
• Academic subjects high school teacher
• Academic subjects secondary school teacher
• Accounting teacher – secondary school
• Adult education teacher – secondary school
• Algebra teacher – secondary school
• Art teacher – secondary school
• Arts and crafts teacher – secondary school
• Biology teacher – secondary school
• Business and commerce teacher – secondary school
• Business education teacher
• Business teacher – secondary school
• Calculus teacher – secondary school
• Career and life management teacher
• Career and technology studies teacher
• Career education teacher
• Career exploration teacher
• Chemistry teacher – secondary school
• Classical languages secondary school teacher
• Commerce teacher – secondary school
• Computer technology teacher – secondary school
• Cooking teacher – secondary school
• Cooperative education teacher
• Cooperative learning teacher
• Correspondence teacher – secondary school
• Data processing teacher – secondary school
• Distance education teacher – secondary school
• Drama teacher – secondary school
• Economics teacher – secondary school
• English as a second language (ESL) high school teacher
• English literature high school teacher
• English teacher – secondary school
• Ethics teacher – secondary school
• Fine arts teacher – secondary school
• French as a second language teacher – secondary school
• French teacher – secondary school
• Geography teacher – secondary school
• Geometry teacher – secondary school
• German teacher – secondary school
• Greek teacher – secondary school
• Guest teacher – secondary school
• Health education teacher – secondary school
• High school teacher
• High school teacher – outdoor activities
• History teacher – secondary school
• Home economics teacher – secondary school
• Humanities teacher – high school
• Industrial and vocational education teacher – secondary school
• Industrial arts teacher – secondary school
• Information technology teacher – secondary school
• Italian teacher – secondary school
• Latin teacher – secondary school
• Librarian-teacher – high school
• Mathematics teacher – secondary school
• Modern languages teacher – secondary school
• Music teacher – secondary school
• Native school community teacher – secondary school
• Outdoor physical education teacher – secondary school
• Physical and health education teacher – secondary school
• Physical education teacher – secondary school
• Physical science teacher – secondary school
• Physics teacher – secondary school
• Practical and applied arts teacher
• Private teacher – secondary school
• Reading clinician – secondary school
• Religious education high school teacher
• Remedial teacher – secondary school
• School teacher – secondary school
• Science high school teacher
• Science teacher – secondary school
• Secondary school department head
• Secondary school reading clinician
• Secondary school teacher
• Secondary school vocational teacher
• Sewing teacher – secondary school
• Sheet metal instructor – secondary school
• Social sciences teacher – secondary school
• Spanish teacher – secondary school
• Special education teacher – secondary school
• Special needs teacher – secondary school
• Special programs teacher – secondary school
• Substitute high school teacher
• Substitute teacher – secondary school
• Supply high school teacher
• Technical and vocational teacher – secondary school
• Trades instructor – secondary school
• Vocational high school teacher
• Vocational secondary school teacher
• Vocational teacher – secondary school

Main duties

This group performs some or all of the following duties:

• Prepare subject material for presentation to students according to an approved curriculum
• Teach students using a systematic plan of lectures, discussions, audio-visual presentations, and laboratory, shop and field studies
• Assign and correct homework
• Prepare, administer and correct tests
• Evaluate progress, determine individual needs of students and discuss results with parents and school officials
• Prepare and implement remedial programs for students requiring extra help
• Participate in staff meetings, educational conferences and teacher training workshops
• May teach and evaluate students through distance or online courses
• May advise students on course selection and on vocational and personal matters
• May supervise student teachers.

Secondary school teachers may specialize in such areas as mathematics, English, French, special education or second language instruction. Secondary school teachers of vocational and trades subjects may specialize in areas such as hairdressing or auto mechanics.

Employment requirements

• Teachers of academic subjects require a bachelor’s degree in education which is often preceded by a bachelor’s degree in the arts or sciences.
• Teachers of vocational or technical subjects require a bachelor’s degree in education which is usually preceded by specialized training or experience in the subject.
• Instructors of trades in Quebec require completion of an apprenticeship training program and industry or trade certification.
• Department heads usually require several years of teaching experience.
• To specialize in special education or English or French as a second language, additional training is required.
• A provincial teaching certificate is required.
• Membership in a provincial or territorial teachers’ association or federation may be required.

Additional information

• Progression to vice-principal or other administrative positions in the education system is possible with experience.
• In Quebec, trades training programs are usually offered in the secondary school system.

Exclusions

• College and other vocational instructors (4021)
• Educational counsellors (4033)
• Elementary and secondary school teacher assistants (4413)
• Elementary school and kindergarten teachers (4032)
• Junior high school teachers (in 4032 Elementary school and kindergarten teachers)
• Psychoeducators (in 4153 Family, marriage and other related counsellors)
• School principals and administrators of elementary and secondary education (0422)
• Secondary school librarians (in 5211 Library and public archive technicians)
• Teachers of non-academic courses (in 4216 Other instructors)
• Teachers teaching life skills courses to persons with disabilities (in 4215 Instructors of persons with disabilities)