How to hire middle school teachers, except special and career/technical education

A job description you can copy, interview questions tied to the real work, and what to pay. Free.

$64,370U.S. median yearly pay
$58,530–$80,490Middle half, yearly
620,090People in this job in the U.S.

Job description template

Copy it, fill in the brackets, and remove anything that does not fit your job. Keep only must-haves you would really turn someone away for.

[Job title] at [Company name]
[City, State] · [Full-time / Part-time] · [Pay range]

About the role
[Two or three sentences about your team, the work and why it matters.]

What you will do
• Assign lessons and correct homework.
• Assist students who need extra help, such as by tutoring and preparing and implementing remedial programs.
• Establish and enforce rules for behavior and procedures for maintaining order among students.
• Establish clear objectives for all lessons, units, and projects, and communicate these objectives to students.
• Instruct through lectures, discussions, and demonstrations in one or more subjects, such as English, mathematics, or social studies.
• Observe and evaluate students' performance, behavior, social development, and physical health.
• Prepare materials and classrooms for class activities.
• Prepare, administer, and grade tests and assignments to evaluate students' progress.

What you bring
• [Required license, certification or years of experience, if any]
• [Education, only if you truly need it. Typical to start in this job: Bachelor's degree]
• Strong learning strategies, speaking, active listening, active learning, monitoring and reading comprehension skills
• Working knowledge of education and training, English Language, philosophy and theology and mathematics
• [Anything else you would really turn someone away for]

Pay and benefits
[Pay range]. For reference, the U.S. median for this job is $64,370 a year.
[Benefits, schedule and anything else candidates should know.]

How to apply
[Apply on JAI Bot. Every applicant hears back.]

Check your finished job post

Interview questions for middle school teachers, except special and career/technical education

Ask every candidate the same questions, in the same order, and write down what they say. Questions about past work show what someone has actually done.

  1. Tell me about a time you had to assign lessons and correct homework. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
  2. Tell me about a time you had to assist students who need extra help, such as by tutoring and preparing and implementing remedial programs. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
  3. Tell me about a time you had to establish and enforce rules for behavior and procedures for maintaining order among students. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
  4. Tell me about a time you had to establish clear objectives for all lessons, units, and projects, and communicate these objectives to students. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
  5. How do you teach yourself a new process, and how would you teach it to someone else?
  6. Explain something technical from your last job as you would to a new coworker.
  7. Tell me about a time you had to understand a request or problem that was explained poorly. How did you make sure you got it right?
  8. Why this job, and why now? What would make you stay here for the long term?

Good answers name a real situation, what the person did themselves and what happened. Avoid questions about age, family plans, religion, health, national origin or anything else unrelated to the job.

What middle school teachers, except special and career/technical education do

  • Assign lessons and correct homework.
  • Assist students who need extra help, such as by tutoring and preparing and implementing remedial programs.
  • Establish and enforce rules for behavior and procedures for maintaining order among students.
  • Establish clear objectives for all lessons, units, and projects, and communicate these objectives to students.
  • Instruct through lectures, discussions, and demonstrations in one or more subjects, such as English, mathematics, or social studies.
  • Observe and evaluate students' performance, behavior, social development, and physical health.
  • Prepare materials and classrooms for class activities.
  • Prepare, administer, and grade tests and assignments to evaluate students' progress.

Skills that matter most

Learning StrategiesSpeakingActive ListeningActive LearningMonitoringReading ComprehensionEducation and TrainingEnglish LanguagePhilosophy and TheologyMathematics

Education, experience and outlook for middle school teachers, except special and career/technical education

  • Typical education to start: Bachelor's degree (BLS)
  • Related work experience most have: 6 months to 1 year (O*NET)
  • Job outlook: -0.4% over ten years, little or no change · about 38,800 openings a year (BLS)

What to pay middle school teachers, except special and career/technical education

Pay depends a lot on where the job is. Highest and lowest median yearly pay by state:

StateMedian yearly pay
Washington$102,140
California$98,950
New York$94,840
Connecticut$93,610
Rhode Island$92,760
South Dakota$50,980
Mississippi$50,790
Oklahoma$48,440

See middle school teachers, except special and career/technical education pay in every state

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Job duties and skills: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. JAI Bot has modified this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Pay: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, May 2025. Interview questions and the job description template: JAI Bot, based on the duties and skills above.