What age/grade should I teach? early,elementary,middle?

Question

I have an associate's degree in early childhood education and run a small daycare at home- I am going to start school to work toward my BS, b/c I want to work in a public school to get benefits/summers off etc. I feel like b/c most of my experience and credits are with pre-k and lower that it would be easiest to stay in Early Care and Education, but I see my friend who is my daughter's teacher for 1st and 2nd grade nd think that looks fun, then a friend of mine is a 7th grade English teacher and loves it. Anyone who's taught different ages-which was the best. Any advise from anyone would be great- I need to register for classes like now! Thanks!

Answer 1

It depends a lot on your temperament. Someone with the temperament to teach younger children will love it, while someone with the temperament to teach middle school will love doing that, and those few special people with the temperament to teach special ed love doing that.

If you really enjoy doing the daycare thing, then you obviously have the temperament for early childhood.

I don't know about where you live, but at most colleges, you get a degree in one of the following categories: elementary ed, secondary ed, special ed, early childhood ed, phys ed, music ed, or art ed, and you can usually get the special, phys, music, or art education degrees, or even foreign language education, for early childhood, elementary, or secondary ed.

It sounds like you really enjoy early childhood. If that's the case, then that's where your temperament lies, and perhaps you should do either early childhood or elementary.

Unless you work at a childcare center that runs on the same schedule as the local university, though, you're better off, probably, getting an elementary education degree and teaching Kindergarten or 1st, maybe 2nd grade, since you're wanting to work in a public school, because usually the only elementary schools that have a preschool attached are parochial schools, and they tend have lower pay than public schools, though they do have better benefits and more support from parents, so it's a tradeoff.

If you're wanting to get out of it because you really don't like dealing with the younger children and you'd prefer working with older children, then go for secondary education and teach middle school.

Answer 2

Well I have a degree in Elementary Education and I love it. My degree is good for K-6. My first year teaching I had 6th grade and loved it. Since then I have been teaching 2nd grade and I honestly love it just as much as 6th grade. With a degree in Elementary Education you can teach on both ends of the spectrum.

Answer 3

My cousin ins going to teach elementary school kids. I HIGLY reccommend you teach high school unless you're very patient and GREAT with kids. Otherwise you will hate your job and probly just end up teaching high school anyway.