Would you want to teach elementary or high school?

Question

I am about to start school, and I know that I have a lot of time to decide, but I don't know whether I want to teach elementary level or high school. I don't think I could deal with the young kids all day...They'd drive me up a wall. Also, I was in high school a short time ago, and I know what it's like there...the fights, the attitude...I'm so unsure. I was thinking of Jr. High, but I remember that was the worst of my school years. All those hormones flying!!! It was nuts! Anyway, one of my high school teachers told me that she chose high school because the students may not always listen, but they're capable of it. I don't know...I'm pretty sure I'm going to go with high school. Mostly because many years of babysitting really bad kids turned me against them!!! :D Anyway, just leave your opinions for me!!! Thanks!

Answer 1

I received my degree in secondary education from a university that offered either K-9 or 5th - 12th, I chose the older grades for some of the same reasons you mentioned. I never intended to teach anything but high school, middle school kids seemed so immature and just not my thing. My main objective was to be in a position that would allow me to share ideas, create learning opportunities that showed student strength and not the lower level regurgitation that I found was required for elementary school. I know they need to learn this stuff, but I am not good at rote learning, nor do I teach that well, so I knew that was not where i would benefit the students. Thank God there are wonderful teachers that can do that job, I commend them and stand in awe that they do their job so well.  

What I found was that I loved the middle school kids, do not ask me why, my own drove me nuts at that age, but there are so many curious kids at that age and they have not yet hit that age of, not wanting to know.

I have taught high school, in a juvenile facility, private schools, and now in middle school, which is 6th - 8th here, and I think this is the best, for me.

Good luck and just remember, you need to go where you are the strongest, we need good teachers.

Answer 2

High school because if you are cool and understanding enough, you might actually have fun with your students

Answer 3

Elementary! I am a fourth grade teacher and think upper elementary is great. Their attitudes have not yet "blossomed" and they still want to please you and their parents. They are more independent than k-2 and are grateful for your intervention in their lives (personally and in school).

Know that if you choose HS you choose a subject to become versed in and you are limited to that subject only. On the upside if you choose Secondary, that also encompasses Jr High. Generally licenses are divided up as k-6 Elementary (in self contained classroom-which means 1 teacher for all subjects) and 6-HS.

Just make sure you are happy with what you choose. Hopefully the university attend will have opportunities for field experience early on so you can make this decision in a timely manner.

Good luck!

Answer 4

i would choose to teach either 2nd grade or 12 grade.  my dad teaches 2nd grade and he loves it because at that age they are old enough to use the bathroom by themselves, but they also strive to impress the teacher (he is one of the only male teachers in the area).  and by the time they get to 12 grade, most are dreaming of college and im sure their rowdy spirit has calmed down in most of the kids, plus they arent ready to s***w up right before college.

Answer 5

I am a 10 year teaching veteren of Middle and High school students.  When I was projecting way back then - I thought high school. That's where I thought kids would know what they want and would be more receptive to my instruction and I would not have to repeat myself over and over.  Little did I know - kids are all alike.  I settled into Middle School and really enjoy the 8th graders.  I enjoy the opportunity to prepare them for high school and beyond, helping them sever those final strings that attach them to "mommy" and begin to see and use their own independence.  Now that I am happily placed in middle school (high school during the summer), I think elementary is the best opportunity to catch the habits before they become 'bad'.  I encourage you to find your niche and I know you will be good at it.  We need good, strong teachers who are unafraid of the 'new' pupil that we deal with today.  Students are not the same anymore.  They come with a plethora of problems, issues and 'stuff'.   It's up to us as teachers to 'weed out' the stuff, get past the issues and beyond the problems to help them become more than prepared young people who can focus and be successful.

Answer 6

My opinion is that I would teach elementary because you can make a young child behave, but an older child will not if he/she does not want to. That is the kind of patience I would not make time for.

Answer 7

i had the same dilema 25 years ago.  i decided on early education.  i wanted to try to prevent some of the problems before they got started.  to be pro-active instead of re-active.  maybe save a few kids some troubles and make their education easier.  i'm sure whatever you decide, you'll do great at.  if it's the older kids, then go with it.  just be prepared.

Answer 8

I have done them all. I started as an assistant at the elementary level. I taught highschool and loved it. I cried when rezoning cause several teachers to be relocated to other schools in the system. However now that I am at the middle school, I would cry again if they tried to send me back to the highschool.

Middle school is a happy medium. Yes, they have their ups and downs. Yet, they keep you on your toes. Once you get to know the students, you know when to baby them up and when let them pretend to be grown for a day.

However in elementary or high, they are either babies everyday or wannabe grown ups everyday. I like surprises (good ones) that's why middle school is the place for me.

Answer 9

if i was u, i will choose primary school coz i love children! but nau my condition is not quite bad ! im a daycare teacher (im still can teach the children but only teach to do their homeworks! not like any other teachers teach their students on the boards! 50% of daycare teacher's job is taking care children n another 50% is teaching !) i dont want to choose to do as a primary teacher coz i afraid the goverment will send me to teach in sumwhr far away from the cities! im from malaysia, my country's teaching system is like that! n i hate it!

Answer 10

I would recommend volunteering in a classroom in primary grades. The classroom environment is much different from babysitting. A good teacher with good behavior management techniques can make learning fun and exciting.

In my experience (12 years teaching primary grades) I find that most teachers 'find' where they want to be. Some try lower primary grades, some try upper grades, and eventually they find where they want to be and what age group they want to work with.

Teaching can be very exhausting, but well worth it. What other career could be more meaningful?????

good luck