or not even kindergarten, maybe even elementary.
I’d like to know the pros and cons, and I prefer mature answers!
Also, what are the best places/cities to work in as a teacher?
Thanks! :]
Posted in Kindergarten information
kindergarten readiness – get your child ready
Information to help your child
Posted in Kindergarten information
Well… there’s a huge spread in ‘what you can expect’ from kindergarten up to 6th grade.
With each age group comes different problems and different bonuses.
With the younger age groups the kids are more likely to ‘adore’ you! LOL As they get older you might end up just being another teacher to them. That’s the hard but honest truth. It’s harder to capture their hearts the older they get. Not only for you but for what you are trying to impart to them.
As a first year teacher you’ll have a whole lot thrown at you. Some of these things are new each and every year…
1) Lesson Plans… how you are going to teach the subjects this year, get through all the material, accounting for different learning styles.
2) Getting to know your kids. Each and every one of them is going to be a different little person. You will have to fight the urge to have a ‘favorite’. You, in time, will learn to accept and love all the different young ‘uns you’ll have to face, but I think it’s especially hard for teachers to not play the ‘favorite’ game.
3) Classroom routine. In the lower grades you are dealing with kids who’ve never had to sit still and obey rules, listen and learn from a teacher. With older kids you have some who have had teachers who allow all kinds of things and ones who are ‘hard’ they will be assessing you and your style all the time, looking for what they can get away with! It’s a constant challenge to maintain consistancy as the year progresses.
There are probably a whole lot more things, that I can’t think of right at the moment.
I don’t know about places/cities that are good to teach in, I would suggest that you go where you are happy!
Good luck!
My sister taught kindergarten in inner city Columbus, Ohio. She has taken knives away from kindergarten students. When she was talking about the difference between plants and weeds, she was told by a student that his parents had weed growing in the basement. Many of her students did not speak English nor did their parents. She had 25 in her all day class with an aide for half a day. She also taught their music, art, and PE. She did not have a break the entire day!
There are many long days and nights. I am just finishing grading papers and have not had dinner yet…at it is after 7. There is always something else you could do. Parents can drive you crazy as well as the class. On the pros students look up to you and unconditionally love you. I enjoy having the feeling that I actually taught these children something. I also enjoy being able to be creative and have fun with my lessons. Honestly, even with all the other cons, I could not picture myself doing anything else. I really don’t know the best place to teach, but I’m in Indiana and it is okay.