What Kind of Teacher Should I Be

How it works

Thinking about teaching but not sure where you fit? Press the button for one of 48 kinds of teacher, from preschool to band director, each with what the job is like.

Read the full guide

Start with who you want to teach

After your first press, the list beside the button narrows the draw. By age of student runs from preschool to adults; Math and science, Language and history, and Arts and movement sort by subject; Special education and support holds 11 roles.

Test the idea before you commit

Set the count to 3 and pick the one that makes you curious. Then find a way to try it: volunteer in a class, coach a team, tutor a neighbor or ask a teacher in that role to describe a normal day.

Tips

Rules for becoming a teacher differ by state and country, so check your own education department before choosing a course.

Questions and answers

How do I know what kind of teacher I should be?

Ask two questions: which age group gives you energy, and which subject you could talk about all day. The two answers usually point to one or two roles on this list.

What are the types of teachers?

By age: preschool, elementary, middle and high school, and adult. By subject: math, science, languages, history, the arts and physical education. By role: special education, English learners, reading specialists and librarians. This list holds 48.

Can I teach without working in a school?

Yes. Museum educators, outdoor instructors, online teachers, hospital school teachers and teachers of English abroad all teach outside a regular classroom.

All 48 kinds of teacher

By age of student 9

Adult education teacher Adults finishing school, learning English or starting a new skill.
Community college instructor Adults of every age, often fitting classes around jobs.
Early intervention teacher Works with babies and toddlers with delays, often in their homes.
Elementary school teacher One class for the whole year, teaching nearly every subject.
High school teacher Deep in one subject, with older students heading for work or college.
Kindergarten teacher Reading, counting and how to be in a class, all in one busy room.
Middle school teacher One subject taught to several classes of young teens.
Montessori teacher Mixed-age classes where children choose their own hands-on work for long, calm stretches.
Preschool teacher Learning through play, songs and stories with the youngest students.

Math and science 10

Biology teacher Cells, plants, animals and the human body, with lab work.
Career and technical teacher Hands-on trades such as welding, carpentry or auto repair.
Chemistry teacher Reactions, the periodic table and safe lab practice.
Computer science teacher Coding, how computers work and how to solve problems step by step.
Earth science teacher Rocks, weather, oceans and space.
Engineering and technology teacher Students design, build and test things with their hands.
Environmental science teacher Ecosystems and how people change them, with time outdoors.
Math teacher For someone who loves the moment a student finally gets it.
Outdoor education instructor Camps, trails and lessons taught in nature.
Physics teacher Forces, energy and light, often with homemade demos.

Show all 48 kinds of teacher (29 more)

Language and history 10

Civics and government teacher How laws are made and how people take part.
English language learner teacher Helps students who speak another language at home learn English.
English teacher Reading, writing and talking about books.
French teacher Grammar, vocabulary and conversation in French.
History teacher Stories of the past and how to weigh the evidence for them.
Latin teacher An old language that explains many English words.
Reading specialist Helps students who find reading hard, one to one or in small groups.
Social studies teacher Geography, government, economics and history together.
Spanish teacher A language and the cultures that speak it, taught by speaking it.
Teacher of English abroad Live in another country and teach English to its students.

Arts and movement 10

Art teacher Drawing, painting and clay with many classes a week.
Band director Rehearsals, concerts and a room full of instruments.
Choir director Voices, harmony and a concert at the end of each term.
Culinary arts teacher Cooking, food safety and running a kitchen.
Dance teacher Movement, rhythm and performance, in a studio or a school.
Drama teacher Plays, scenes and building students' confidence on stage.
Health teacher Food, sleep, safety and looking after yourself.
Museum educator Tours, workshops and school trips in a museum.
Music teacher Singing, rhythm and instruments for young students.
Physical education teacher Games, sports and fitness, mostly outdoors or in the gym.

Special education and support 7

Gifted and talented teacher Extra challenge for students who are ready to move faster.
Hospital school teacher Keeps children learning while they stay in hospital.
Resource room teacher Small groups pulled from class for extra help.
School librarian Books, research skills and a quiet place for every class.
Special education teacher Plans lessons around each student's needs and strengths.
Teacher of students with visual impairments Teaches braille and other ways to learn without full sight.
Teacher of the deaf Teaches deaf and hard of hearing students, often using sign language.

Outside the usual classroom 2

Online teacher Classes through a screen, with students who may live far apart.
Substitute teacher A different class or school most days; good for trying out ages.

How this list was compiled: Own list of 48 kinds of teacher, written 2026-09-23, by age of student, subject, support role and setting. The Montessori line (mixed-age classes, hands-on work chosen by the child) was checked that day at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montessori_education. No licensing, salary or training-length claims: those differ by state and country. Licence: own work