A teacher is a person responsible for transmitting knowledge and methods for reasoning to students.

In France, the education system is organized into three levels of education:

1. Primary education (first level of education), with nursery school (3 years) then elementary school (5 years). The primary school teacher generally takes care of children aged 2 to 11 years.
2. Secondary education (second level of education) with middle school (4 years) then high school (3 years). The secondary school teacher generally deals with children aged 11 to 18.
3. Higher education, with:
   - universities,
   - university institutes of technology (IUT) for short professional training courses,
   - specialized schools,
   - the "grandes écoles" (very selective) recruiting their students after 2 years of preparatory classes (CPGE) or after the baccalaureate...

At the primary and secondary level, the teaching profession is regulated. This means that specific conditions apply. There are several procedures for exercising the teaching profession. These possibilities depend on the establishment (public/private) or the status (permanent/contractual) of the teacher.

In French primary and secondary education, a distinction must be made between public and private schools.

• Public schools: their operation and organization are the responsibility of the Ministry of National Education.
• Private institutions: the majority of private institutions have signed a contract with the State, which obliges them to follow the public education programs. These "institutions under contract" are most often denominational institutions, mainly Catholic, but there are also schools of other denominations or non-denominational (bilingual schools, international schools, schools with new pedagogy, etc.). Teachers working in a private institution under contract also depend on the National Education, but are not subject to the same legal regime.

Whether in public education or in private education under contract of association with the State, it is also necessary to distinguish between two types of status.

• The first status, “permanent teacher”, is obtained after a competitive examination. It offers stability, because there is a guarantee of permanent employment. In a public institution, a permanent teacher is called a “civil servant”.
• The second status, that of “non-permanent teacher”, depends on a contract and is more easily accessible than that of a permanent teacher. It also offers more flexibility, but remains a more precarious job. In a public institution, it is called “contractual” while in a private institution, it is called "substitute”.