Knowing And Teaching Elementary
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Marian Said:
What can I do with a degree in elementary education besides teach?We Answered:
You could work in a private school that isn't held to the same standards as a public school. Where I live, we have Bioregional Elementary Schools that teach the early grades (usually K-3) through nature.If you had experience (and/or additional education) there would be lots of things you could do, like educational publishing, administration, guidance counselling, reading intervention or speech pathology.
You could also work for a museum or historical site to design and implement their educational programs. You could operate (or just work at) a daycare center or work with a group like the YMCA to develop after-school programs.
A lot of doors are open to you. I suggest you talk to an advisor at the Career Services department at your university. My school has several people on staff just to help Education students. They can discuss your options with you and make a plan to help you reach your goals.
Kathryn Said:
what are the best colleges for teaching elementary age kids, child development, or becoming an FCS teacher?We Answered:
The best college depend on what state you live in and plan on teaching in (keep in mind when you grad. you will only be certified in that state, and may have to do more steps to get certified in other states)As far as salaries, many states and/or school districts post their salary schedules online, just look into their websites. (for example the NC DOE has the state salary schedule on their site, and every county pays an extra incentive bonus they also list on their site).
You will almost defiantley make more working in a public school or private preschool than a day care, which usually pays hourly.
Sue Said:
What is a day in the life of an Elementary School Teacher like?We Answered:
1. We are not required to do extracurricular activities, but it certainly provides a sense of fulfillment (and looks good to administration).2. Teachers are required to allow their students' families to participate in PTO fundraising events. We're generally required to attend fundraising events (like fall festivals) unless we've got a good excuse.
3. We're not required to put on events, but again, it looks good to administration and provides the community a chance to see what's going on in school.
4. That depends on the school. At my school, we're not required to sign our students up for scheduled library time, but a good teacher makes sure students have the opportunity to access library books on a regular basis. I have to take my students to lunch and stay with them during the lunch period. It's only considered a break in that I can eat lunch with other teachers.
5. I have 45 minutes of planning each day. It's never enough. I rarely, if ever, actually plan during this time. It's basically my time to pee, check school email, clean up from the morning, and get ready for the afternoon. SOMETIMES I get a chance to grade papers. This is also the time that various required meetings are scheduled. My actual planning is usually done on Sunday evenings. I plan for the week and make adjustments throughout the week as needed.
I share an assistant with 4 other teachers. I use her during my Reading class. Depending on what grade you teach and where you teach, your assistant situation will differ. The younger grades (K-2) usually have their own assistants or only share with one other teacher. Sometimes the upper grades (5,6) will have to share an assistant, which makes it virtually impossible for them to use the assistant with students. They often just use assistants for clerical work.
Most schools require each teacher to have some sort of duty- monitoring students in the morning before they go to class, assisting with buses in the morning and afternoon, or helping with car riders. At my school we only have this duty once a week, and it generally lasts for 10-15 minutes. We're also all on some sort of committee that usually meets once a month after school. It's not difficult, and it's not too time-consuming, but a lot of times it feels like a waste of time.
The part of my job that I dislike the most would have to be paperwork. It's hard to remember all of the little (but somehow important) things I have to turn in to someone. Being organized is not my strong suit, so without a calendar and constant access to my school email, I'd be screwed.
Overall though, it's really not that bad. If you like working with kids and you like teaching (and in the process learning yourself), then elementary teaching is a great career.
Curtis Said:
What are the pros and cons of teaching elementary school?We Answered:
I'm not a teacher but I think I can add some insight:Pros:
-teach kids
-make a difference in children's lives
-build up kids self esteem and imaginations
-show kids how to have an interest in a subject
-make learning fun
-every weekend, holiday, summer, and a few extra days guaranteed off
Cons
-have to deal with other people's little brats
-not able to properly discipline kids
-parents who think their kids do no wrong
-parents who don't CARE about their child or their education
-working at night (grading papers)
-lack of supplies (at least, in many schools)
-spending own money on supplies (if schools won't/can't get them)
-possibility of not agreeing with school's policies and procedures on teaching certain topics, overall beliefs, etc.
Byron Said:
Does anyone know how to go about getting a BA to teach elementary ed & secondary ed in Maryland?We Answered:
You could get certified in both, but you'd have to do all the coursework for each of them and it would take at least an extra year, if not more than that.Here's an idea instead: take as many classes as you can in the next year that are required for elem ed (just look at the course requirements for that major in your university catalog). Then, once you get a high school teaching job, start gradually taking some of the classes you need for elem ed. Many schools will help pay for a class every few years. It might take some time, but you'd be able to get the other certification if you really want it.
Jorge Said:
how to choose teaching elementary or highschool?We Answered:
There may be some ways to become certified K-12; check with your local requirements to see if this is a possibility.You could volunteer at a school with different age groups to see what you like best.
If you choose 7-12, chances are you will specialize in a specific subject area (math, science, English, etc.). Do you want to teach the same subject area all day long or would you rather be responsible for all subject areas? If you think you want to teach all subject areas, then elementary is the way to go.
I don't know what the job market is like in Canada, but elementary teachers are very easy to come by. If you want to make yourself more marketable, consider 7-12 and specializing in something like math or science.
And if all else fails, if you change your mind in college, there are probably ways to switch to the other age group before you get too far in your study.