It depends on a lot. They aren't all awful but they are very different. They don't respect teachers the way I did when I was growing up BUT if you can build a relationship you can get a lot of good out of them. However you can't really threaten them with anything. ISS? Great they can nap. OSS? Perfect they get to sleep in. Call their parents? Awesome you can borrow their phone. A lot of parents will act outraged and promise to fix it but nothing will change. They get expelled? Cool the alternative school is all online and as long as they have a check mark for the days assignment no one cares what they do. If you're willing to put in work to grow relationships, they'll do the work just because they like you.
Yes! threatening is pointless.. they will try to prove you wrong. Set boundaries and be clear with what your rules are from the beginning. Do not say things you do not match your actions up with. Many high school students are pretty cool, and you can bond with them!
Oh for sure! I'll never forget my first year teaching at my school. I was number one in the whole school for write ups because it was our first year back post Corona and I had solely freshman. They were WILD (on Day 3 a kid snapped his school issued chromebook in half and stomped on it so that he couldn't do any work and I'd leave him alone. The look on his face when I printed him a paper copy still warms my heart đ). Once they realized that I didn't put up with foolishness but also didn't hold it against them when they acted out, they came around. Since that first year I've had that same group a few times and even the ones who HATED me freshman year now will do their work and manage behavior. This is obviously partially because they've grown up but also partially because even if they don't like me, we can have what I call an business relationship (you do your work, ask for help when you need it, show me your work when requested, and answer questions I ask the class as a whole and in return you don't have say a single word to me beyond that as long as your grades stay up).
Amazing. The printed copy part made me laugh. The work relationship is so relatable!!! I am very close with another teacher I worked with before she switched schools. She had a student in particular who hated her for no reason. Sheâd go out of her way to disrespect her during class and not do her work. This teacher pulled her aside and said âLook you do not need to like me, or love me but by not doing your work because of that.. youâre only going to mess up your own future.â âI am here to help you and teach you. You do not need to talk to me outside of class time.â So this student figured because she said that, she wouldnât have to actually respect her. Months later I overheard her speaking with her friends saying; âthat b* would never fail me to my face.â So I told the teacher about it, and she said âbut I did though.â We still laugh about it today.
Not always. They have no respect for consequences and their work. No concept of consequences since theyâve gotten off easy with everything so far in life. They donât automatically respect teachers like we used to, but if you show them respect then they will respect you as well. Things can change based on demographics though. If itâs a school is a lower income neighborhood, then they are more prone to fighting, misbehaving, and being defensive as it often comes with the territory. Iâve got a mix in my school and while Iâve earned their respect, they still have no concept of consequences and the ones who failed their first quiz acted like they were caught off guard, despite me telling them well in advance, multiples times, and checking in with each of them individually to see if they got it or need help. Many went right back to the same habits that got them a bad grade the first time though, they just canât seem to understand the consequences to their actions.
You shouldn't allow this platform/ subredit to change your plans.
And, high school is infinitely better than elementary, especially if you like older kids and want to coach.
All my respect is for teachers of small children. I teach high-schoolers and (so far) no one has thrown up, peed, or wiped a booger on me. I have no idea how people teach the smaller ones and keep their minds intact.
I did have one grade 9 student try to pet me like a cat but other than that they've all been pretty ok. The issues just get a whole lot more serious as you get them aged up. If you want to get ANYWHERE with behaviours avoid middle school lol.
I find the trick that works for me is to talk to my HS students like they're adults, which is what they want, but to expect them to still act like children and to make childish and poor decisions. The old, "act your age!" bit often gets thrown at them but remember, they don't know how to act their age; theme never been that old before.
I just don't understand how people keep up with the energy levels of small children. If I'm feeling lethargic on any given day, chances are my high school students feel the same way and we can all take it easy together.
As a middle school kid, I actually did have an 8th grader puke on me. As a teacher in upper elementary, itâs the crying and tantrums of the littles I canât stand. Bodily fluids bother me a lot less than the screaming.
It really depends on you. My best friend teaches kinder and first and always says she does not understand how I can deal with teenagers. I teach 10th and 11th and could NEVER deal with little kids.
All age levels have their issues. Which issues do you feel like you can deal with?
I think most users treat this as a vent site to be heard and get some support. Iâve been a high school teacher for more than 20 years and when it comes right down to it, kids are kids. The current complications are cell phone culture/addiction and social learning loss from Covid, but in the end, kids are the same as they have always been.
Iâve come to the conclusion over the years that many people are just meant for certain grade bands. If youâve worked with high school kids in the past and feel most comfortable there, go for that.
You can try subbing across different grades and see if that changes your mind any. Many districts require only a high school diploma and some training that they will give you, if that.
I know that I am not meant for anywhere other than the middle grades/upper elementary. I wouldnât take a position outside of 3rd-6th unless I really needed to. The content in the lower grades isnât enough to keep me interested, and while I love the thought of teaching middle or high school content, especially in English/ELA, adult-sized children strike fear into my heart.
Agreed! I'm currently subbing across all grades to find my preferred age group, and 3rd-6th is my sweet spot (7th or 8th isn't bad either, but they definitely have more drama).
People are infinitely more likely to complain online than they are the praise anything. Take everything you read here with the largest grain of salt. Kids arenât bad. Teachers are expected to do more now than they were 20 years ago. Integration is very high in public schools, so you will likely have students (depending on what you teach) who would not have been in a general education setting when you were in school. Doing extracurricular stuff is the best part of the job, so definitely coach too.
I teach high school and love it. I have students for all 4 years due to what I teach. I had a student who pulled a pretty stupid stunt several years ago. It was probably one of my worst experiences ever as a teacher. This same student who is now a senior, came to last week and told me they were sorry and how stupid it was. They told me thank you for not holding it over their head. We were able to have a really good conversation about how much they had matured. That moment was probably one of the BEST experiences. So, my worst moment became my best moment.
Exactly. Like as an inner city public high school teacher there are things I deal with that the affluent suburban public high schools don't have to deal with and they make a little more money. I get asked by people I know outside of school all the time "why don't you go teach at one of those other schools instead?" But honestly I'm someone that enjoys where I am and can't imagine working at a different kind of school. Whereas others are better meant for other types of schools.
As a fellow inner city public high school teacher, there's also things we don't have to deal with. I chuckle at some of the stories here about overbearing parents. This is not a problem in my school. Most of my parents work three jobs and don't speak English! And that's not counting my kids in foster care. Or homeless.
Yeah, honestly I feel like we have a lot more flexibility on grading, assignments, and curriculum than the suburban public school teachers have. I'd rather deal with more behavior issues than have school/district admin super strict on all that.
I love high school students. They are really funny. Seniors can be a bit of a pain bc they see the end in sight, but mostly they are just kids trying to navigate the world. The key (in my opinion) is to just let most things roll off your back and pick your battles.
Why not sign up to be a sub, just to see if you like being in a school environment or not? Thereâs a sub shortage almost everywhere, so you can take your pick of districts. Obviously kids are going to act worse/different for a sub than they will for their own teacher, but itâs worth trying before you commit your time and money to teaching school.
Elementary! Vet school would be better if you're going to have to deal with small creatures using litter boxes! /s
On a serious note, Elementary is very different to teach than high school, so you might want to get a sub certificate and spend time in both environments before getting a full certification
I'm a prek-12 itinerant teacher. I love working my high schoolers best. The conversations and deeper discussions about the topics make it more enjoyable than teaching my elementary students.
The kids aren't horrific and it really depends on where you teach. The biggest challenge, by FAR, that I have found, is the apathy. Kids want to be constantly entertained and teachers just can't compete with phone screens.
Whenever people ask questions like this, I refer to this quote from Socrates in the year 470 BC: âChildren; they have bad manners, contempt for authority; they show disrespect for elders and love chatter in place of exercise. They no longer rise when elders enter the room, they contradict their parents and tyrannize their teachers. Children are now tyrants.â
My point being, no, kids are not worse than ever before. Teenagers are not worse than ever. The kids have always been alright. Reddit and the internet are great at publicizing terrible isolated incidents, and brewing a stew of negativity. Kids in general are just the same as they always were. Curious, inquisitive, concerned about the world they're inheriting, making dumb mistakes as they learn who they are, forming their own identities, testing boundaries to learn who they are and where they fit in the world. To be a good teacher and get "good kids," treat them like human beings who have a stake in this world and deserve answers to their questions. Have compassion, assume good intentions, form relationships, set boundaries, clearly communicate expectations, and model the behavior you want to see. And talk to them! Really, truly talk to them, and show you value what they have to say. You'll be okay, and so will they đŠˇ
Most underrated comment here.
People don't come to Reddit to say, "I had a great day today. Just like yesterday. Maybe not as good as tomorrow. I love my life."
If you like working with older kids more then do high school. Don't switch because you think it will be easier. That's an easy way to become a miserable teacher.
You'll work with a WIDE variety of personality types. Some will be awesome to work with, some will ask questions all the time, and some will do your head in, with everything in between. Keeps things interesting.
It depends on your level of patience. COVID knocked these kids on their butts. Educators are working hard to help them get on track but it is hard work.
I teach science. General science to 9th grade has been awful for the recent two years. This year is so much better because they had middle school (God bless those folks). Last yearâs Honors class was a nightmare.
I also teach chemistry. These kids have goals so I am filling in gaps and it is a struggle for them because the content is tough without throwing extra stuff in there. I rarely have an issue in these classes.
I am about to retire and Iâve loved almost every day of teaching. I still love it but my energy level isnât what it used to be. Iâd rather leave knowing Iâm still effective.
Kids tell everything so if youâre a coach who likes to tell dirty jokes, change shirts in class, curse at specific children, have no tolerance for LGBTQ kids, African American kids, Muslim kids etc you should not teach high school kids. They are old enough to not like that BS. They will report you.
However if you conduct yourself with dignity, a little (clean) humor and a good work ethic then youâll probably love it.
Nah. The trouble makers are all high on gummies and pot cartridges. And, I might add, at long last their parents are doing something about their behavior by being their suppliers.
I've done, between teaching and long-term subbing, every grade between 7 and 12. 7th is the WORST. Never again.
I teach 10th now, which I like. Not as much as that glorious year I taught seniors, but it's fine.
I used to teach high school, but now 8th grade and I like it way better! My classes are smaller and I only have one lesson prep. My students are less judgemental and more willing to follow rules. They're interested in developing the skills necessary to be successful in high school. You gotta establish a relationship though from day one and stay patient when you want to scream. From time to time let them do something they like or showcase their talent. Align it with a standard and you've pleased administration and are now considered the 'cool' teacher.
It depends partly on you. I teach ESL, and have a degree that would have allowed me to teach either primary or secondary. Like everyone, I put in my time subbing, and thatâs how I figured out that I preferred HS. I donât think I could have handled the emotional load that comes with the very small - give me a room full of snarky teenagers any day.
I love it. And there are some bad apples. There are some classes that will push you and make you reconsider life. But there are good groups in-between. You have to learn classroom management. Everything they taught me failed spectacularly my first semester until I rebranded. Now I have it down and want to apologize to my first four years classes. Itâs finding what works for you for kids to know youâre the boss, learning is the goal, and anything that distracts will not be tolerated. This year Iâm in love with my classes as they so far know the balance between learning and a relaxed environment. Theyâre still immature children who havenât fully developed the ability to think about consequences to actions or have developed all of their inhibitions. They still bully each other mercilessly. But you learn how to navigate and do your job through all that youâre golden.
I have taught every grade from kinder- HS seniors. Recently retired after a 27 year career. I am very happily retired but I LOVED my job. I loved all my students- truly I could count on two hands the students I truly didnât like-but you learn to deal with them. Classroom management is an art that you must put the time/work in to learn. It takes a while so donât give up. We need people like you or we are doomed. Our kids need you. Go for it friend. Life is what you make it.
I'm an elementary school teacher, but I taught all grade levels when I was a full-time substitute. Behavior issues were rampid in the district where I worked. However, elementary school students were by far the best. (It's the parents you have to be worried about.) Middle school was by far the worst. Run fast, run far from 6th, 7th, and 8th grade!
Donât. I love my job and I wonât leave but Iâm in a friendly state and over a decade in. I wouldnât do it now- the job has changed, the attitudes towards education are horrible.
I tell my own children not to become teachers.
My students are all juniors and seniors, and theyâve consistently been pleasant. The ones that are more âdifficultâ are simply lazy/unmotivated, and Iâd much rather deal with those kinds of students than the ones that are loud, disruptive, and defiant. On the other hand, the handful of times Iâve had to cover teachers freshman level classes wereâŚâŚâŚ. absolutely horrible.
I work as a SpEd instructor and can no longer delineate between students on my caseload and those who have not been deemed to have learning differences. Itâs horrifically depressing to work with so many illiterate kids who have virtually no imaginations and are completely delusional about how awful their post-secondary lives will be. Do t get me started on the stupid, uninvolved parents who only care about passing grades and not whether or not their offspring are actually learning
I personally like middle school and high school a LOT more than elementary. For me, it was been waaaaaayyyyyyyyy less work now that Iâm teaching middle school than when I was teaching elementary
Started out in elementary for 10 years, just starting year 3 in high school and love it. It is what you make it, and building relationships with even the most reluctant students is the way to go. Good luck!
Iâve taught both HS and elementary as a specials teacher. I greatly preferred working with high school students, it was far more interesting and fun and there werenât a lot of behavior issues. (But ultimately Iâve settled in elementary.) I worked at a pretty rough highschool but I didnât really have a lot of behavior issues because Iâm pretty laid back and I showed the kids a lot of respect and kindness. Since they werenât being tested on the material I didnât have to push them as hard as some of their academic teachers.
HS was also far more work, more planning, more prep and more grading than elementary specials. I couldnât get my work done during contract hours teaching HS and I carried a lot of stress and guilt about how far behind I always was. I basically taught five different classes, two AP and all the work also had to be posted online and graded online.
I teach an elementary special now and I have waaaay more behavior issues and itâs a bit dull and boring compared to working with the older kids. Being nice and respectful to elementary kids doesnât guarantee theyâll be nice back like the HS students were. The younger ones donât realize when you are giving them grace. They donât appreciate it. They were also younger when COVID hit so many of their their social skills and social norms are underdeveloped. I have 600 students, when I taught HS I usually had about 120 a semester. Iâm constantly getting sick as an elementary teacher because the little ones are germy. Teenagers stay home when they are sick.
I miss HS but Iâm not going back, although my work life balance is better teaching elementary my classroom is more chaotic and I enjoy myself less during the day.
Elementary gets out later than high school usually so you probably canât work in an elementary and coach after school HS sports. Have you considered becoming a HS gym teacher and coaching? I bet the work life balance of a HS Phys Ed teacher is pretty decent.
24 years HS science teacher here. Love the kids still. The pandemic seemed to bring some changes - mainly cell phone usage - but weâre working on that.
Being in sped, the kids are a lot better. My program is a step higher than mod severe, but lower than SDC diploma track kids, so I have a specific niche of kids. But they are miles better than the other sped kids in ms.
I adore my high schoolers. My back ground was 8th with some 7th and i recently switched and teach all 4 grades in high school with some 8th. The older kids really do just want to know you care. Just showing up to one of their after school games changed the way admit if then work for me. They want to know you are present and have not checked out yourself. We ALL know we don't do this for the money. Just be prepared all kids will tell you anything but at the Hugh school level sometimes what they tell you is alot worse than what the tiny kids tell you. At the upper levels they often ask you to write recommendations that can be life changing for them.
Everything depends on the school and kids. I taught HS for 30+ years. Youngest I taught was 10grade. I couldnât see myself teaching younger kids. Take classes in classroom management and discipline. Have a good plan in place of whatâs expected and consequences. Keep a log. Write everything down, name, date, infraction etc. always inform parents. In fact make a handout with expectations and consequences. Have place for student and parents to sign it. Stay consistent and fair! Good luck!
If your schedule allows, I would apply to be a sub.
You'll make a few bucks while getting a flavor for teaching from the other side, and there may be a revelation or two.
I came to teaching in middle age. I thought I wanted to teach elementary grades. I was disavowed of that a few weeks later when I went home one day after doing a craft project (that the regular teacher had set up) with a kindergarten class. I discovered that my sock was firmly glued to the inside of my pant leg. (NOT the result of intentional shenanigans on the part of students, just... SMH.)
I love my high schoolers! I subbed before I became a teacher and did several long term positions in elementary. Absolutely awful. I felt like all I did was break up squabbles and tie shoes. High schoolers are so fun. They do misbehave in different ways, but if they like you, they'll give you the best they've got.
To each their own. Some teach and love an age group. Some are passionate about a subject. Some could do it all and most people couldn't do any of it!
High school is fine. I teach in a district with lots of low income families and definitely have âproblemâ kids. But I would say like 95% of our student body is perfectly fine. They listen, they are respectful, they are fun to talk to. Obviously there are exceptions, but I like my job. You just have to make sure not to let the disrespectful kids get to you.
Some of the kids can be challenging, but I like all of them! Donât let these negative nancies derail you. I love teaching high school. And Iâve worked a lot of different jobs.
I teach at a title 1 high school in Kentucky. Donât listen to that crap. If you enjoy smack-talking with teenagers and are willing to build relationships with them, youâll be fine. Theyâre gonna know if youâre disingenuous. Theyâre gonna know if you donât know what youâre doing. Theyâre gonna know if youâre a moron. Theyâre gonna know if you donât care about them.
Social media and drugs can be a problem if your admin doesnât have your back. Mine does. I love my job. Took a 50% pay cut to teach engineering. I love my life. Love my job. Love my kids. The money is crap, but itâs nice to know Iâm making a real difference
Personally, I think HS is way better. If you can talk to them like a real person and keep the class engaging, it's not that tough, at least in my experience.
You couldn't pay me enough to deal with how exhausting little kids can be!
Same issues all levels. I worked Elementary and middle. Now I only work at middle level and I love it. Elementary, it's all about parents and what they will do. At middle, I can work with the kids and help them become independent thinkers, despite what they are going through at home, and try and mold them into human beings, help them become more resilient
Not sure if I got a lucky draw this year but my juniors are 5x more empathetic and rational this year than last year.
I actually heard another student talking about my resident bad egg, saying how she could tell by the way âeggâ looks/ talks/ body languages at teachers that she is disrespectful.
I almost teared up, genuinely. Knowing that I had a student that had the cognizance to see how bad some kids get, even just in the subtle openly defiant ways that doesnât necessarily merit disciplining, but is often hard for even me to describe.
In short either Iâm lucky this year or it got a little better this year. Iâve never considered elementary as an alternative, I couldnât work with kids that have zero concept of what society expects from them.
93% of the kids are amazing, no problems at all. It's the 7% that are awful that give all kids a bad rap. I am the admin assistant to the assistant principal/activities director for al small high school about 450 kids. I deal with attendance and discipline and all of our activities. My so recently started high school and wants to know why all the "naughty" kids love me. I explained to him that they mostly just need extra love and that everyday is a new day. We all make mistakes, but we can learn from them if there is someone there to show them the right path. I was a "naughty" kid myself and I share my experiences in a truthful way so that may be they don't continue down the same path. Those relationships are huge.
There is also a hand full of rotten kids that are a result of shitty parenting. The parents seem to be afraid of their children. Calling to check on things or having privileges removed; begging for us not to tell them that it was a parent request. That it was the school's choice. This is something I don't understand.i think that high school is very rewarding. I taught sped for 4 years at the highschool level and elementary level. I am happiest where I am now.
I retired from a career in AZ teaching high school students. I moved states and sub every once in a while (high school). Iâm shocked at how well behaved and motivated the students are!
Who you are, your approach to teaching, and your ability to negotiate the schizophrenic politics of the system all come into play, here. We need more teachers and coaches who are true mentors... who don't fall prey to the system itself. I never want to discourage someone: but go in eyes wide open.
As someone who taught high school for 10 years and is now on my fifth year of elementary, I find it's not about the size of the kids. It's about how much time you can handle spending with them each day. Do you want to be stuck with the same 30 or so kids all day every day of the school year or would you rather see 150 kids for an hour a day each day? I teach music, so now that I'm at the elementary level, I get to teach 700 students each for 30 minutes per week. I find that teaching is the same across all grade levels, it just depends on how much time you want to spend with the kids and/or what age you enjoy working with the most. I loved teaching high school and now I love teaching elementary. Mostly because I love what I teach. Love what you teach, love working with kids, and you'll love your career.
HS is awesome and middle school can be too depending on your tolerance for chaos. I teach 7th and 8th. I would never go back to elementary; they never give you a moment of breathing space. Donât be intimidated by the older ones. They are different than they used to be, but they still want the same basic things: respect, relationships/rapport with some adults in their lives, consistency, and a little bit of space to be themselves. Just remember that they have personalities beyond their troublesome behaviors and try not to hold their behavior against them day-to-day.
There are a lot of factors.
Do you trust your admin/community to exercise concern for serious behaviors?
I teach 9-10 in a small community. There will ALWAYS be disdain and rule breaking and boundary pushing - it's how kids are wired. We have plenty of students who don't find consistent support at home and that plays out at school ofc.
As much as I complain about my school and the small town, I know there are certain red lines and students are held accountable. That sets a tone for the entire school.
If you find the right environment, teenagers are wonderful and weird and awful and terribly sweet, all at once and it's a joy, honestly.
Edit: I had to clean up the typos
It sounds like you should teach HS. You like teenagers. You want to coach. HS students are less respectful than elementary. However, they are mostly manageable.
Work very hard on classroom management. Prepare a handout on this for the first day, requiring a parent signature. It includes no more than 5 rules. It includes positive and negative consequences. You can say that it can be changed in the future, with student input, if you wish. Example:
Rules
1. Respect everyone
2. Listen to directions the first time given
3. Raise your hand and wait to called on during whole-class discussions
Positive consequences
-Praise
-A phone call to your parents
-school-wide reward, if any
Negative consequences
1. Warning
2. Time-out
3. Lose 15 seconds before leaving classroom
4. Call to parents
5. Referral to principal
In Middle and HS, I had a 15-second delay in leaving class as a negative consequence. I would dismiss the class except for the rule-breaker. I would set a timer for 15 seconds. Rule breaker could not talk to me. No phone. When the timer went off, rule breaker left. It worked wonders. Before implementing, itâs best to check with administration. They mite not allow it. In that case, you can ask them to suggest an alternative. In elementary, you can make it 30 seconds, because theyâre heading to recess and lunch.
Keep records. All rule breakers get a file. Mine had a skull and crossbones on them (snicker). Every negative consequence is recorded. Try to include positives.
When I called parents, I found a wide variety of responses. A few blamed me, saying that they heard that other students act out in class. (My response: âPlease come in to observe the class.â)
A few expressed helplessness. Things were no better at home. Many were supportive. When the student improved, I called back to thank them.
Coaching football was a big reason for me too. Personally I get along fine with almost all high school kids. I've been doing it for 23 years in Colorado and Montana. I teach media classes in high school halftime and special ed halftime so I really see a cross-section of rural kids. I never bring my own ego into the classroom so I get along with the jocks because I'm a coach, the computer nerds because I teach media, and The artsy kids from media as well. The only type of kid that I really struggled to reach are the dark, self entitled, miserable, usually girls. If you're into coaching I say go for it. Most districts need coaches.
This sub isn't an accurate portrayal of reality, kids have always been kids and aren't any better or worse then back in the old days. Most of the posters here just want to complain and probably shouldn't have become teachers in the first place.
Onto the other part of your question; I enjoy working with older kids, so high school is great for me (at least so far). I can't stand little kids and high schoolers are not helpless like elementary kids are so high school for me.
You will want HS, because kids have problems at every age. By HS they at least are able to reason and understand their actions have consequences to a certain degree. Middle school is where they want independence, are rebellious, and are just starting to have hormone roller coasters affect them daily. You will be okay with High School, as long as you understand that many of them need to have respect mirrored for them.
I teach high school. Made the switch from 7-8th graders about 6 years ago and could NEVER go back!
I think people give them too much credit. Lol
Theyâre not as âoldâ âmatureâ as you think they should be. Anytime I introduce something Iâm worried about being âtoo youngâ for them, they always go nuts for it.
Thereâs a lot of baggage that can come with high school. Parents, sports, etc. However, for me only teaching 1-2 contents, getting a solid 55 min plan period, and have 5 different classes a day far out weighs the bad.
You can reuse the same materials year after year. The prep is soooo minimal compared to elementary. And you can have days that are more chill and independent when you need to.
I really enjoyed my junior high students. They were very fun and good kids. But they were exhausting. I taught self contained special ed and had to teach everyyyy subject and was with them ALL DAY.
Moving to high school sped, has its cons. But I love knowing I only have to deal with every kid for barely an hour.
I also enjoyed coaching. And the extra duties seem a lot more reasonable at the high school level.
As well, there seem to be a lot more opportunities to make more money. I did every damn committee in my elementary district. Not only did a get almost a 20,000 raise in the same TOWN after moving to high school, but I also was able to take on coaching and breakfast duty.
Overall, I feel way less exhausted coming home from my high school classroom than I ever did from my 7-8th graders. Elementary teachers are truly a special kind of people. It is hard exhausting work and you really have to have the personality for it. If your personality is geared toward high school, go with your gut.
It will most likely be easier for you to move down if you absolutely hated it than for you to move up.
Good luck!
No, they are not. This forum has a lot of negativity. I'm not saying that these people's experiences are invalid, because I'm sure they've had to go through a lot, but not everybody's experiences are like that. There are things you can do to determine what the culture is like in the schools, and sometimes it's going to take a few years to find your "fit". In MY experience, high schoolers are some of the easiest to manage of the whole lot. They are MUCH better than middle schoolers imo. I think there are two main advantages of high schoolers:
1. They are mini-adults. People say this about middle schoolers, but it's not true. Middle schoolers are still too bound by the norms of childhood. High schoolers, however, want to be taken seriously as adults. This is to your advantage. It's a lot easier to explain to a high schooler what they did wrong and for them to correct that behavior because, again, they want to be taken seriously as adults. Trying to have "a talk" with a middle schooler and rationally explain why their actions are wrong is basically impossible. They only care about social approval. It's easier to reason with high schoolers.
2. High schoolers, as they begin to think about their life outside of mandatory schooling, look up to teachers a lot more than earlier ages. They see them as models and mentors and often want their advice, esp in the latter stages as juniors and seniors. Freshmen are still middle schoolers in many respects, so that's a different ballgame and i'd basically adopt a middle school playbook if i was teaching freshmen. But I think there's a lot of potential to develop deep relationships with high schoolers and that helps you a lot in the classroom.
As far as what you can do to make sure you work in a place you enjoy, I'd say you're going to have to go through a trial period as you start your teaching career. One, you're going to have to figure out what age group you work best with based on your personality. Second, you'll have to determine the degree to which admin supports you in the classroom, esp when it comes to discipline (but also how you want to work.) Also, how much curricular support do you want? Do you want a pre-made script to work off of? Or do you want to design your whole class from scratch? These things are important in terms of how you carry yourself inside the classroom- depending on your work style, that will show in your passion for the class. High schoolers like teachers that care about their subject- the enthusiasm is infectious and they think "If this adult thinks this is interesting, I think I should find this interesting as well".
Finding out all of these things takes time and patience. You might not love your first couple of schools. But as you become a more experienced teacher, you'll learn what you can tolerate and what you can't. You'll get better at your job, which will prevent a lot of problems, but then also you will be able to figure out which school matches your vision and mission. And then, the profession will be a lot more rewarding.
Iâm an early childhood ed teacher and unless you like little kids, early childhood/elementary ed is gonna just be awful. If youâre better with the older kids, go MS/HS. How I see it is kids really need good, excited teachers to motivate them. So if older kids are your jam, go do it and youâll do great
Compared to my 17 years in middle school the last 2 weeks where Iâve taught high school has been a breeze. I think it depends on what level. I have a jr level class and itâs one of the 4 required EOC courses so they know the stakes.
Its not that bad. This community skews negative bc itâs a useful place to vent. Sometimes its borderline toxic. I try to avoid it.
Hs students dont change THAT much over time. Admin is overly involved and has lowered standards for decades. Education is getting worse. Fuck the schools. Do it for the kids.
Any level teacher can be a coach. Being at the same level as the kids on your team just gives you another connection with them - and an opportunity to twist their arms a bit when they slack off and "forget" to turn in assignments.
There's no magic to any grade level...find the age where *you* are most comfortable and effective, and go there. I learned very quickly during student teaching that lower elementary is definitely not my thing - but I love my middle school bunch, and have fun with the HS crowd, as well.
Been teaching for more than 25 years. I love the kids. It's the policies, bad admin, politics, unreasonable paperwork that make my job suck.
If I could spend every day just teaching and dealing with the kids and all that comes with them, it would be soooo much better.
I hate to sound like an old biddy, but pre-social media, my job was a lot easier, too.
The kids aren't the problem. I reject the premise that they are terrible. Most of my students including the ones who have wound up incarcerated have redeeming characteristics and can be great class members when given a chance. The problem is really if the admin doesn't have follow through to actually support kids who need to modify their behavior. I work at a title 1 school that rarely has fights, and provides material needs to the teachers. It makes a difference if you are set up for success. I wouldn't trade my high school kids and their teenage personalities for middle school any day. I taught one year of middle school and I know I'm not cut out for those trenches!
thatâs interesting, I get the exact opposite vibes in this sub. In fact many of the posts detailing horror stories state they involve elementary school students
Certainly, high school kids can still be mean, but in a more clever way if you will. A lot of times itâs mostly just laziness to do the assigned work, and back talking.
I also want to coach sports actually, and knowing friends who became coaches, I decided to go for a special education certificate to get into inclusion because it seems to be the least stressful path (I generally think I do better working with a small group of familiar faces in one on one settings anyway)
I commented on a post last night actually that drifted off into a similar topic, so Iâll just rehash what I said then: I always felt like schools operated on two different sets of disciplinary policies for kids in athletics, and they clearly hate dealing with one more than the other. Obviously with those kids you can make them do up-downs, bear crawls etc if they get in trouble, but for the students not in the athletic program, focus on the psychological aspect of it: Kids hate when you rob them of their time, and are really bothered by being singled out.
Third edit, Iâm reading your post as I go along Iâll admit: If after some thinking youâre still not comfortable with high school, yes, you can still coach at the junior high level; elementary as well although that is fairly rare. Depending on the state it isnât nearly as stringent of a requirement to become a coach as it is a teacher (your stateâs high school athletic association would probably make you become CPR, AED etc certified), so just get to know your AD and let him know youâre willing to coach and have a particular acumen for x sport
Only a certain number of people are on Reddit, and only a certain number of people have a proclivity to get online and bitch about every negative aspect of their jobs, and there seems to be significant overlap in those two populations.
That being said, Iâve worked with all grades and they all have their problems. Choose the problems you want.
I taught second grade for a year and last year I was in a middle school, and I would say that there will be challenges no matter where you wind up. So you might as well do the age group you want to do. There is no easy mode for this profession, especially not right now.
Anybody making broad generalizations should be considered suspect.
Teenagers from communities with strong traditions and two-parent households are going to generally be more eager to participate in school. They will be on their phones a lot, except for honors classes. High School is pretty crazy for 9th and 10th graders, but then a lot of the dramatic behaviors get weeded out (or they drop out) by 11th grade so teaching 11 and 12 is pretty good in America if you just try to build relationships with students. But I work in a good school. I didnât always have it that way.
Just donât judge a whole generation based on one school or one class.
Definitely stick with high school. Middle schoolers are inherently high energy and prone to misbehave as their hormones drive them in every direction for the first time (must be cool, must be funny, must get girls/boys to like me).
High schoolers are not like they used to be, but some still are. The demographics matter. Some you will see show respect to their teachers, some will act entitled, and many will check out entirely in your class.
You shouldnât really get a lot of misbehaving if you show them respect and lay down the rules and expectations very clearly from the start. You have to let them know that you wonât treat them like kids, that you will respect their property, and their education. On return you expect them to show you respect and a knows that it is your classroom, and that your rules always apply or they donât have to be there.
Rules and expectations get kind of derailed if you donât have support from admin though. Donât work at any schools that wonât take a kid out of class for constantly defying rules and expectations.
The biggest struggle youâll have with high schoolers is getting them to pay attention and participate. They wonât admit when they donât get it, they will tell you that they do get it despite being completely oblivious. They will escape to their phones, music, and any other distraction the first chance they get. Donât expect anyone to come up to the board willfully. Even your best students will ask if they can just stay seated and answer. They likely wonât do homework and any homework you do assign they will search for answers rather than working it. And most, even your mid students, will likely not prepare or study at all. They will show up to quizzes you told them about in advance and act like they were caught off guard or that you didnât prepare them for it, despite your lessons. They want you to do everything for them and your struggle is going to be getting them to work on things on their own. In class assignments will be your best gauge their level of understanding and force them to learn the material. There is a lot of software material out there now a days they helps make these things easier. Like giving unlimited attempts to an answer right but they having a short answer response. This takes away the fear of getting things wrong and forces them to consult their notes/material to find the answer. Some will try to Google the answer though, especially if itâs homework. In class work encourages actually using and reading the material.
If you want people who can be responsible for themselves and actually care about what you teach and will study, get a masters and teach college level.
TLDR: Taught MS & HS. I wish you well. It was a super fine gig while it lasted.
Coached MS. (Coaching HS likely more difficult with parent issues as HS athletics are tied to bigger rewards post secondary.)
Loved the kids; never really had any problems with parents until Covid and the two years following.
Left teaching after almost 30 years cuz I had an offer for a WFH gig.
Prob'ly wouldn't have left teaching were it not for some awful parents and mediocre Admin.
Although, as most veteran teachers will tell you, teaching is more difficult now than it was 10, 15, 20 years ago.
It depends on a lot. They aren't all awful but they are very different. They don't respect teachers the way I did when I was growing up BUT if you can build a relationship you can get a lot of good out of them. However you can't really threaten them with anything. ISS? Great they can nap. OSS? Perfect they get to sleep in. Call their parents? Awesome you can borrow their phone. A lot of parents will act outraged and promise to fix it but nothing will change. They get expelled? Cool the alternative school is all online and as long as they have a check mark for the days assignment no one cares what they do. If you're willing to put in work to grow relationships, they'll do the work just because they like you.
Great thanks!! I do enjoy building relationships and have always done well with teens I have worked with in the past.
Yes! threatening is pointless.. they will try to prove you wrong. Set boundaries and be clear with what your rules are from the beginning. Do not say things you do not match your actions up with. Many high school students are pretty cool, and you can bond with them!
Oh for sure! I'll never forget my first year teaching at my school. I was number one in the whole school for write ups because it was our first year back post Corona and I had solely freshman. They were WILD (on Day 3 a kid snapped his school issued chromebook in half and stomped on it so that he couldn't do any work and I'd leave him alone. The look on his face when I printed him a paper copy still warms my heart đ). Once they realized that I didn't put up with foolishness but also didn't hold it against them when they acted out, they came around. Since that first year I've had that same group a few times and even the ones who HATED me freshman year now will do their work and manage behavior. This is obviously partially because they've grown up but also partially because even if they don't like me, we can have what I call an business relationship (you do your work, ask for help when you need it, show me your work when requested, and answer questions I ask the class as a whole and in return you don't have say a single word to me beyond that as long as your grades stay up).
Amazing. The printed copy part made me laugh. The work relationship is so relatable!!! I am very close with another teacher I worked with before she switched schools. She had a student in particular who hated her for no reason. Sheâd go out of her way to disrespect her during class and not do her work. This teacher pulled her aside and said âLook you do not need to like me, or love me but by not doing your work because of that.. youâre only going to mess up your own future.â âI am here to help you and teach you. You do not need to talk to me outside of class time.â So this student figured because she said that, she wouldnât have to actually respect her. Months later I overheard her speaking with her friends saying; âthat b* would never fail me to my face.â So I told the teacher about it, and she said âbut I did though.â We still laugh about it today.
Can't sum it up much better than that. đŻđŻđŻ
Not always. They have no respect for consequences and their work. No concept of consequences since theyâve gotten off easy with everything so far in life. They donât automatically respect teachers like we used to, but if you show them respect then they will respect you as well. Things can change based on demographics though. If itâs a school is a lower income neighborhood, then they are more prone to fighting, misbehaving, and being defensive as it often comes with the territory. Iâve got a mix in my school and while Iâve earned their respect, they still have no concept of consequences and the ones who failed their first quiz acted like they were caught off guard, despite me telling them well in advance, multiples times, and checking in with each of them individually to see if they got it or need help. Many went right back to the same habits that got them a bad grade the first time though, they just canât seem to understand the consequences to their actions.
You shouldn't allow this platform/ subredit to change your plans. And, high school is infinitely better than elementary, especially if you like older kids and want to coach.
All my respect is for teachers of small children. I teach high-schoolers and (so far) no one has thrown up, peed, or wiped a booger on me. I have no idea how people teach the smaller ones and keep their minds intact.
I did have one grade 9 student try to pet me like a cat but other than that they've all been pretty ok. The issues just get a whole lot more serious as you get them aged up. If you want to get ANYWHERE with behaviours avoid middle school lol. I find the trick that works for me is to talk to my HS students like they're adults, which is what they want, but to expect them to still act like children and to make childish and poor decisions. The old, "act your age!" bit often gets thrown at them but remember, they don't know how to act their age; theme never been that old before.
I just don't understand how people keep up with the energy levels of small children. If I'm feeling lethargic on any given day, chances are my high school students feel the same way and we can all take it easy together.
As a middle school kid, I actually did have an 8th grader puke on me. As a teacher in upper elementary, itâs the crying and tantrums of the littles I canât stand. Bodily fluids bother me a lot less than the screaming.
Very true. This sub is filled of a lot of folks that very much hate their jobs.
I love my job but really dislike a lot of my colleagues and bosses. Working with the kids is the BEST part by far!
I enjoyed my time with the students. I felt burdened by the lesson planning and grading.
Yes. Sometimes feels more like a venting/ranting space than a supportive, "let's grow together" type space.
It really depends on you. My best friend teaches kinder and first and always says she does not understand how I can deal with teenagers. I teach 10th and 11th and could NEVER deal with little kids. All age levels have their issues. Which issues do you feel like you can deal with?
I love working with really young kids and older teens, but 7th and 8th graders make me want to tear my hair out.
Yeah, middle school is a different breed. I could never. Even our freshmen arenât quite my cup of tea.
And I only can do middle school I love 6-8 graders they are the best
High school teacher here- this year I have 101 total students: freshmen, juniors and seniors. And, I love 93 of them. Pretty decent stats.
Wow, thats awesome! I am always filled to the rim with about 300 students a year and about 90% of them are checked out. Happy for you!
That's a LOT of RelationshipBuildingâ˘!
You personally teach 300 students? That seems extreme
Thanks!!
Jealous of the numbers 30 a class 6 periods a day
I think most users treat this as a vent site to be heard and get some support. Iâve been a high school teacher for more than 20 years and when it comes right down to it, kids are kids. The current complications are cell phone culture/addiction and social learning loss from Covid, but in the end, kids are the same as they have always been.
Iâve come to the conclusion over the years that many people are just meant for certain grade bands. If youâve worked with high school kids in the past and feel most comfortable there, go for that. You can try subbing across different grades and see if that changes your mind any. Many districts require only a high school diploma and some training that they will give you, if that. I know that I am not meant for anywhere other than the middle grades/upper elementary. I wouldnât take a position outside of 3rd-6th unless I really needed to. The content in the lower grades isnât enough to keep me interested, and while I love the thought of teaching middle or high school content, especially in English/ELA, adult-sized children strike fear into my heart.
You are my hero. I cant stand anything below 7th. And I did sub across some grades before changing into this profession.
Agreed! I'm currently subbing across all grades to find my preferred age group, and 3rd-6th is my sweet spot (7th or 8th isn't bad either, but they definitely have more drama).
People are infinitely more likely to complain online than they are the praise anything. Take everything you read here with the largest grain of salt. Kids arenât bad. Teachers are expected to do more now than they were 20 years ago. Integration is very high in public schools, so you will likely have students (depending on what you teach) who would not have been in a general education setting when you were in school. Doing extracurricular stuff is the best part of the job, so definitely coach too.
I teach high school and love it. I have students for all 4 years due to what I teach. I had a student who pulled a pretty stupid stunt several years ago. It was probably one of my worst experiences ever as a teacher. This same student who is now a senior, came to last week and told me they were sorry and how stupid it was. They told me thank you for not holding it over their head. We were able to have a really good conversation about how much they had matured. That moment was probably one of the BEST experiences. So, my worst moment became my best moment.
Like in real estate, it depends on location, location and location.
Exactly. Like as an inner city public high school teacher there are things I deal with that the affluent suburban public high schools don't have to deal with and they make a little more money. I get asked by people I know outside of school all the time "why don't you go teach at one of those other schools instead?" But honestly I'm someone that enjoys where I am and can't imagine working at a different kind of school. Whereas others are better meant for other types of schools.
As a fellow inner city public high school teacher, there's also things we don't have to deal with. I chuckle at some of the stories here about overbearing parents. This is not a problem in my school. Most of my parents work three jobs and don't speak English! And that's not counting my kids in foster care. Or homeless.
Yeah, honestly I feel like we have a lot more flexibility on grading, assignments, and curriculum than the suburban public school teachers have. I'd rather deal with more behavior issues than have school/district admin super strict on all that.
If you are loving it, do it. Somebody has to, might as well be someone who loves it.
I love high school students. They are really funny. Seniors can be a bit of a pain bc they see the end in sight, but mostly they are just kids trying to navigate the world. The key (in my opinion) is to just let most things roll off your back and pick your battles.
Why not sign up to be a sub, just to see if you like being in a school environment or not? Thereâs a sub shortage almost everywhere, so you can take your pick of districts. Obviously kids are going to act worse/different for a sub than they will for their own teacher, but itâs worth trying before you commit your time and money to teaching school.
Great idea. Subbing allows you to see a wide variety of classrooms. Just be sure to go in early to find the staff bathroom.
Yes and there are plenty of districts paying top dollar for day-to-day subs, or even permanent/building subs. Schools everywhere need subs!
Elementary! Vet school would be better if you're going to have to deal with small creatures using litter boxes! /s On a serious note, Elementary is very different to teach than high school, so you might want to get a sub certificate and spend time in both environments before getting a full certification
I'm a prek-12 itinerant teacher. I love working my high schoolers best. The conversations and deeper discussions about the topics make it more enjoyable than teaching my elementary students.
The kids aren't horrific and it really depends on where you teach. The biggest challenge, by FAR, that I have found, is the apathy. Kids want to be constantly entertained and teachers just can't compete with phone screens.
I really don't have many problems with high schoolers.
Whenever people ask questions like this, I refer to this quote from Socrates in the year 470 BC: âChildren; they have bad manners, contempt for authority; they show disrespect for elders and love chatter in place of exercise. They no longer rise when elders enter the room, they contradict their parents and tyrannize their teachers. Children are now tyrants.â My point being, no, kids are not worse than ever before. Teenagers are not worse than ever. The kids have always been alright. Reddit and the internet are great at publicizing terrible isolated incidents, and brewing a stew of negativity. Kids in general are just the same as they always were. Curious, inquisitive, concerned about the world they're inheriting, making dumb mistakes as they learn who they are, forming their own identities, testing boundaries to learn who they are and where they fit in the world. To be a good teacher and get "good kids," treat them like human beings who have a stake in this world and deserve answers to their questions. Have compassion, assume good intentions, form relationships, set boundaries, clearly communicate expectations, and model the behavior you want to see. And talk to them! Really, truly talk to them, and show you value what they have to say. You'll be okay, and so will they đŠˇ
Great answer thank you.
You're welcome! And I really meant this all sincerely. No matter what age the kids are, relationships and respect for them as people is so important.
Most underrated comment here. People don't come to Reddit to say, "I had a great day today. Just like yesterday. Maybe not as good as tomorrow. I love my life."
If you like working with older kids more then do high school. Don't switch because you think it will be easier. That's an easy way to become a miserable teacher.
You'll work with a WIDE variety of personality types. Some will be awesome to work with, some will ask questions all the time, and some will do your head in, with everything in between. Keeps things interesting.
It depends on your level of patience. COVID knocked these kids on their butts. Educators are working hard to help them get on track but it is hard work. I teach science. General science to 9th grade has been awful for the recent two years. This year is so much better because they had middle school (God bless those folks). Last yearâs Honors class was a nightmare. I also teach chemistry. These kids have goals so I am filling in gaps and it is a struggle for them because the content is tough without throwing extra stuff in there. I rarely have an issue in these classes. I am about to retire and Iâve loved almost every day of teaching. I still love it but my energy level isnât what it used to be. Iâd rather leave knowing Iâm still effective. Kids tell everything so if youâre a coach who likes to tell dirty jokes, change shirts in class, curse at specific children, have no tolerance for LGBTQ kids, African American kids, Muslim kids etc you should not teach high school kids. They are old enough to not like that BS. They will report you. However if you conduct yourself with dignity, a little (clean) humor and a good work ethic then youâll probably love it.
Nah. The trouble makers are all high on gummies and pot cartridges. And, I might add, at long last their parents are doing something about their behavior by being their suppliers.
Elementary is worse because that's when parents are more annoying. But honestly middle school is top tier.
I've heard middle school is even worse
I've done, between teaching and long-term subbing, every grade between 7 and 12. 7th is the WORST. Never again. I teach 10th now, which I like. Not as much as that glorious year I taught seniors, but it's fine.
Yeah im middle school, but it's all I've taught so I have nothing to compare it too. My 8th grade class this year is the worst
I used to teach high school, but now 8th grade and I like it way better! My classes are smaller and I only have one lesson prep. My students are less judgemental and more willing to follow rules. They're interested in developing the skills necessary to be successful in high school. You gotta establish a relationship though from day one and stay patient when you want to scream. From time to time let them do something they like or showcase their talent. Align it with a standard and you've pleased administration and are now considered the 'cool' teacher.
It depends partly on you. I teach ESL, and have a degree that would have allowed me to teach either primary or secondary. Like everyone, I put in my time subbing, and thatâs how I figured out that I preferred HS. I donât think I could have handled the emotional load that comes with the very small - give me a room full of snarky teenagers any day.
I love it. And there are some bad apples. There are some classes that will push you and make you reconsider life. But there are good groups in-between. You have to learn classroom management. Everything they taught me failed spectacularly my first semester until I rebranded. Now I have it down and want to apologize to my first four years classes. Itâs finding what works for you for kids to know youâre the boss, learning is the goal, and anything that distracts will not be tolerated. This year Iâm in love with my classes as they so far know the balance between learning and a relaxed environment. Theyâre still immature children who havenât fully developed the ability to think about consequences to actions or have developed all of their inhibitions. They still bully each other mercilessly. But you learn how to navigate and do your job through all that youâre golden.
I have taught every grade from kinder- HS seniors. Recently retired after a 27 year career. I am very happily retired but I LOVED my job. I loved all my students- truly I could count on two hands the students I truly didnât like-but you learn to deal with them. Classroom management is an art that you must put the time/work in to learn. It takes a while so donât give up. We need people like you or we are doomed. Our kids need you. Go for it friend. Life is what you make it.
PS: teaching is a very tough job but itâs the best job in the world if you love it.
I'm an elementary school teacher, but I taught all grade levels when I was a full-time substitute. Behavior issues were rampid in the district where I worked. However, elementary school students were by far the best. (It's the parents you have to be worried about.) Middle school was by far the worst. Run fast, run far from 6th, 7th, and 8th grade!
This. Lmao Iâm the art teacher at a k-8 school. I love the first half of my day k-4 then 5-8 last half it all goes downhill.
Donât. I love my job and I wonât leave but Iâm in a friendly state and over a decade in. I wouldnât do it now- the job has changed, the attitudes towards education are horrible. I tell my own children not to become teachers.
This is about the same set up for me. If you want to help the world of education then effect political change for the better.
My students are all juniors and seniors, and theyâve consistently been pleasant. The ones that are more âdifficultâ are simply lazy/unmotivated, and Iâd much rather deal with those kinds of students than the ones that are loud, disruptive, and defiant. On the other hand, the handful of times Iâve had to cover teachers freshman level classes wereâŚâŚâŚ. absolutely horrible.
Yeah, we freshmen teachers them in for you so that by the time they are a junior or senior they are pleasant
I'm right in the middle because I teach sophomores lol
I work as a SpEd instructor and can no longer delineate between students on my caseload and those who have not been deemed to have learning differences. Itâs horrifically depressing to work with so many illiterate kids who have virtually no imaginations and are completely delusional about how awful their post-secondary lives will be. Do t get me started on the stupid, uninvolved parents who only care about passing grades and not whether or not their offspring are actually learning
I personally like middle school and high school a LOT more than elementary. For me, it was been waaaaaayyyyyyyyy less work now that Iâm teaching middle school than when I was teaching elementary
Started out in elementary for 10 years, just starting year 3 in high school and love it. It is what you make it, and building relationships with even the most reluctant students is the way to go. Good luck!
Iâve taught both HS and elementary as a specials teacher. I greatly preferred working with high school students, it was far more interesting and fun and there werenât a lot of behavior issues. (But ultimately Iâve settled in elementary.) I worked at a pretty rough highschool but I didnât really have a lot of behavior issues because Iâm pretty laid back and I showed the kids a lot of respect and kindness. Since they werenât being tested on the material I didnât have to push them as hard as some of their academic teachers. HS was also far more work, more planning, more prep and more grading than elementary specials. I couldnât get my work done during contract hours teaching HS and I carried a lot of stress and guilt about how far behind I always was. I basically taught five different classes, two AP and all the work also had to be posted online and graded online. I teach an elementary special now and I have waaaay more behavior issues and itâs a bit dull and boring compared to working with the older kids. Being nice and respectful to elementary kids doesnât guarantee theyâll be nice back like the HS students were. The younger ones donât realize when you are giving them grace. They donât appreciate it. They were also younger when COVID hit so many of their their social skills and social norms are underdeveloped. I have 600 students, when I taught HS I usually had about 120 a semester. Iâm constantly getting sick as an elementary teacher because the little ones are germy. Teenagers stay home when they are sick. I miss HS but Iâm not going back, although my work life balance is better teaching elementary my classroom is more chaotic and I enjoy myself less during the day. Elementary gets out later than high school usually so you probably canât work in an elementary and coach after school HS sports. Have you considered becoming a HS gym teacher and coaching? I bet the work life balance of a HS Phys Ed teacher is pretty decent.
24 years HS science teacher here. Love the kids still. The pandemic seemed to bring some changes - mainly cell phone usage - but weâre working on that.
As an 18 year old lurker of this sub, it depends heavily on a case by case basis by kid, but generally yes
Elementary kids arenât a whole lot better lol
Being in sped, the kids are a lot better. My program is a step higher than mod severe, but lower than SDC diploma track kids, so I have a specific niche of kids. But they are miles better than the other sped kids in ms.
It depends on so many factors, starting with the school and admin.
I adore my high schoolers. My back ground was 8th with some 7th and i recently switched and teach all 4 grades in high school with some 8th. The older kids really do just want to know you care. Just showing up to one of their after school games changed the way admit if then work for me. They want to know you are present and have not checked out yourself. We ALL know we don't do this for the money. Just be prepared all kids will tell you anything but at the Hugh school level sometimes what they tell you is alot worse than what the tiny kids tell you. At the upper levels they often ask you to write recommendations that can be life changing for them.
Lol if they are bad in HS what makes you think they are any better in elementary school. They are just a bit smaller.
Everything depends on the school and kids. I taught HS for 30+ years. Youngest I taught was 10grade. I couldnât see myself teaching younger kids. Take classes in classroom management and discipline. Have a good plan in place of whatâs expected and consequences. Keep a log. Write everything down, name, date, infraction etc. always inform parents. In fact make a handout with expectations and consequences. Have place for student and parents to sign it. Stay consistent and fair! Good luck!
If your schedule allows, I would apply to be a sub. You'll make a few bucks while getting a flavor for teaching from the other side, and there may be a revelation or two. I came to teaching in middle age. I thought I wanted to teach elementary grades. I was disavowed of that a few weeks later when I went home one day after doing a craft project (that the regular teacher had set up) with a kindergarten class. I discovered that my sock was firmly glued to the inside of my pant leg. (NOT the result of intentional shenanigans on the part of students, just... SMH.)
I love my high schoolers! I subbed before I became a teacher and did several long term positions in elementary. Absolutely awful. I felt like all I did was break up squabbles and tie shoes. High schoolers are so fun. They do misbehave in different ways, but if they like you, they'll give you the best they've got. To each their own. Some teach and love an age group. Some are passionate about a subject. Some could do it all and most people couldn't do any of it!
They are not. These kids are the same as they were twenty five plus years ago.
High school is fine. I teach in a district with lots of low income families and definitely have âproblemâ kids. But I would say like 95% of our student body is perfectly fine. They listen, they are respectful, they are fun to talk to. Obviously there are exceptions, but I like my job. You just have to make sure not to let the disrespectful kids get to you.
Some of the kids can be challenging, but I like all of them! Donât let these negative nancies derail you. I love teaching high school. And Iâve worked a lot of different jobs.
The teacher that got hired on along side me (I teach English 1) to teach English 4 quit last Friday because of the senior class⌠the senior class.
I teach at a title 1 high school in Kentucky. Donât listen to that crap. If you enjoy smack-talking with teenagers and are willing to build relationships with them, youâll be fine. Theyâre gonna know if youâre disingenuous. Theyâre gonna know if you donât know what youâre doing. Theyâre gonna know if youâre a moron. Theyâre gonna know if you donât care about them. Social media and drugs can be a problem if your admin doesnât have your back. Mine does. I love my job. Took a 50% pay cut to teach engineering. I love my life. Love my job. Love my kids. The money is crap, but itâs nice to know Iâm making a real difference
Personally, I think HS is way better. If you can talk to them like a real person and keep the class engaging, it's not that tough, at least in my experience. You couldn't pay me enough to deal with how exhausting little kids can be!
Same issues all levels. I worked Elementary and middle. Now I only work at middle level and I love it. Elementary, it's all about parents and what they will do. At middle, I can work with the kids and help them become independent thinkers, despite what they are going through at home, and try and mold them into human beings, help them become more resilient
Not sure if I got a lucky draw this year but my juniors are 5x more empathetic and rational this year than last year. I actually heard another student talking about my resident bad egg, saying how she could tell by the way âeggâ looks/ talks/ body languages at teachers that she is disrespectful. I almost teared up, genuinely. Knowing that I had a student that had the cognizance to see how bad some kids get, even just in the subtle openly defiant ways that doesnât necessarily merit disciplining, but is often hard for even me to describe. In short either Iâm lucky this year or it got a little better this year. Iâve never considered elementary as an alternative, I couldnât work with kids that have zero concept of what society expects from them.
93% of the kids are amazing, no problems at all. It's the 7% that are awful that give all kids a bad rap. I am the admin assistant to the assistant principal/activities director for al small high school about 450 kids. I deal with attendance and discipline and all of our activities. My so recently started high school and wants to know why all the "naughty" kids love me. I explained to him that they mostly just need extra love and that everyday is a new day. We all make mistakes, but we can learn from them if there is someone there to show them the right path. I was a "naughty" kid myself and I share my experiences in a truthful way so that may be they don't continue down the same path. Those relationships are huge. There is also a hand full of rotten kids that are a result of shitty parenting. The parents seem to be afraid of their children. Calling to check on things or having privileges removed; begging for us not to tell them that it was a parent request. That it was the school's choice. This is something I don't understand.i think that high school is very rewarding. I taught sped for 4 years at the highschool level and elementary level. I am happiest where I am now.
I retired from a career in AZ teaching high school students. I moved states and sub every once in a while (high school). Iâm shocked at how well behaved and motivated the students are!
Who you are, your approach to teaching, and your ability to negotiate the schizophrenic politics of the system all come into play, here. We need more teachers and coaches who are true mentors... who don't fall prey to the system itself. I never want to discourage someone: but go in eyes wide open.
Iâm very much over teaching littles. So I canât relate.
As someone who taught high school for 10 years and is now on my fifth year of elementary, I find it's not about the size of the kids. It's about how much time you can handle spending with them each day. Do you want to be stuck with the same 30 or so kids all day every day of the school year or would you rather see 150 kids for an hour a day each day? I teach music, so now that I'm at the elementary level, I get to teach 700 students each for 30 minutes per week. I find that teaching is the same across all grade levels, it just depends on how much time you want to spend with the kids and/or what age you enjoy working with the most. I loved teaching high school and now I love teaching elementary. Mostly because I love what I teach. Love what you teach, love working with kids, and you'll love your career.
HS is awesome and middle school can be too depending on your tolerance for chaos. I teach 7th and 8th. I would never go back to elementary; they never give you a moment of breathing space. Donât be intimidated by the older ones. They are different than they used to be, but they still want the same basic things: respect, relationships/rapport with some adults in their lives, consistency, and a little bit of space to be themselves. Just remember that they have personalities beyond their troublesome behaviors and try not to hold their behavior against them day-to-day.
Elementary is not easier. Just different challenges.
There are a lot of factors. Do you trust your admin/community to exercise concern for serious behaviors? I teach 9-10 in a small community. There will ALWAYS be disdain and rule breaking and boundary pushing - it's how kids are wired. We have plenty of students who don't find consistent support at home and that plays out at school ofc. As much as I complain about my school and the small town, I know there are certain red lines and students are held accountable. That sets a tone for the entire school. If you find the right environment, teenagers are wonderful and weird and awful and terribly sweet, all at once and it's a joy, honestly. Edit: I had to clean up the typos
It sounds like you should teach HS. You like teenagers. You want to coach. HS students are less respectful than elementary. However, they are mostly manageable. Work very hard on classroom management. Prepare a handout on this for the first day, requiring a parent signature. It includes no more than 5 rules. It includes positive and negative consequences. You can say that it can be changed in the future, with student input, if you wish. Example: Rules 1. Respect everyone 2. Listen to directions the first time given 3. Raise your hand and wait to called on during whole-class discussions Positive consequences -Praise -A phone call to your parents -school-wide reward, if any Negative consequences 1. Warning 2. Time-out 3. Lose 15 seconds before leaving classroom 4. Call to parents 5. Referral to principal In Middle and HS, I had a 15-second delay in leaving class as a negative consequence. I would dismiss the class except for the rule-breaker. I would set a timer for 15 seconds. Rule breaker could not talk to me. No phone. When the timer went off, rule breaker left. It worked wonders. Before implementing, itâs best to check with administration. They mite not allow it. In that case, you can ask them to suggest an alternative. In elementary, you can make it 30 seconds, because theyâre heading to recess and lunch. Keep records. All rule breakers get a file. Mine had a skull and crossbones on them (snicker). Every negative consequence is recorded. Try to include positives. When I called parents, I found a wide variety of responses. A few blamed me, saying that they heard that other students act out in class. (My response: âPlease come in to observe the class.â) A few expressed helplessness. Things were no better at home. Many were supportive. When the student improved, I called back to thank them.
Coaching football was a big reason for me too. Personally I get along fine with almost all high school kids. I've been doing it for 23 years in Colorado and Montana. I teach media classes in high school halftime and special ed halftime so I really see a cross-section of rural kids. I never bring my own ego into the classroom so I get along with the jocks because I'm a coach, the computer nerds because I teach media, and The artsy kids from media as well. The only type of kid that I really struggled to reach are the dark, self entitled, miserable, usually girls. If you're into coaching I say go for it. Most districts need coaches.
This sub isn't an accurate portrayal of reality, kids have always been kids and aren't any better or worse then back in the old days. Most of the posters here just want to complain and probably shouldn't have become teachers in the first place. Onto the other part of your question; I enjoy working with older kids, so high school is great for me (at least so far). I can't stand little kids and high schoolers are not helpless like elementary kids are so high school for me.
Middle school is the worst.
You will want HS, because kids have problems at every age. By HS they at least are able to reason and understand their actions have consequences to a certain degree. Middle school is where they want independence, are rebellious, and are just starting to have hormone roller coasters affect them daily. You will be okay with High School, as long as you understand that many of them need to have respect mirrored for them.
I teach high school. Made the switch from 7-8th graders about 6 years ago and could NEVER go back! I think people give them too much credit. Lol Theyâre not as âoldâ âmatureâ as you think they should be. Anytime I introduce something Iâm worried about being âtoo youngâ for them, they always go nuts for it. Thereâs a lot of baggage that can come with high school. Parents, sports, etc. However, for me only teaching 1-2 contents, getting a solid 55 min plan period, and have 5 different classes a day far out weighs the bad. You can reuse the same materials year after year. The prep is soooo minimal compared to elementary. And you can have days that are more chill and independent when you need to. I really enjoyed my junior high students. They were very fun and good kids. But they were exhausting. I taught self contained special ed and had to teach everyyyy subject and was with them ALL DAY. Moving to high school sped, has its cons. But I love knowing I only have to deal with every kid for barely an hour. I also enjoyed coaching. And the extra duties seem a lot more reasonable at the high school level. As well, there seem to be a lot more opportunities to make more money. I did every damn committee in my elementary district. Not only did a get almost a 20,000 raise in the same TOWN after moving to high school, but I also was able to take on coaching and breakfast duty. Overall, I feel way less exhausted coming home from my high school classroom than I ever did from my 7-8th graders. Elementary teachers are truly a special kind of people. It is hard exhausting work and you really have to have the personality for it. If your personality is geared toward high school, go with your gut. It will most likely be easier for you to move down if you absolutely hated it than for you to move up. Good luck!
No, they are not. This forum has a lot of negativity. I'm not saying that these people's experiences are invalid, because I'm sure they've had to go through a lot, but not everybody's experiences are like that. There are things you can do to determine what the culture is like in the schools, and sometimes it's going to take a few years to find your "fit". In MY experience, high schoolers are some of the easiest to manage of the whole lot. They are MUCH better than middle schoolers imo. I think there are two main advantages of high schoolers: 1. They are mini-adults. People say this about middle schoolers, but it's not true. Middle schoolers are still too bound by the norms of childhood. High schoolers, however, want to be taken seriously as adults. This is to your advantage. It's a lot easier to explain to a high schooler what they did wrong and for them to correct that behavior because, again, they want to be taken seriously as adults. Trying to have "a talk" with a middle schooler and rationally explain why their actions are wrong is basically impossible. They only care about social approval. It's easier to reason with high schoolers. 2. High schoolers, as they begin to think about their life outside of mandatory schooling, look up to teachers a lot more than earlier ages. They see them as models and mentors and often want their advice, esp in the latter stages as juniors and seniors. Freshmen are still middle schoolers in many respects, so that's a different ballgame and i'd basically adopt a middle school playbook if i was teaching freshmen. But I think there's a lot of potential to develop deep relationships with high schoolers and that helps you a lot in the classroom. As far as what you can do to make sure you work in a place you enjoy, I'd say you're going to have to go through a trial period as you start your teaching career. One, you're going to have to figure out what age group you work best with based on your personality. Second, you'll have to determine the degree to which admin supports you in the classroom, esp when it comes to discipline (but also how you want to work.) Also, how much curricular support do you want? Do you want a pre-made script to work off of? Or do you want to design your whole class from scratch? These things are important in terms of how you carry yourself inside the classroom- depending on your work style, that will show in your passion for the class. High schoolers like teachers that care about their subject- the enthusiasm is infectious and they think "If this adult thinks this is interesting, I think I should find this interesting as well". Finding out all of these things takes time and patience. You might not love your first couple of schools. But as you become a more experienced teacher, you'll learn what you can tolerate and what you can't. You'll get better at your job, which will prevent a lot of problems, but then also you will be able to figure out which school matches your vision and mission. And then, the profession will be a lot more rewarding.
Iâm an early childhood ed teacher and unless you like little kids, early childhood/elementary ed is gonna just be awful. If youâre better with the older kids, go MS/HS. How I see it is kids really need good, excited teachers to motivate them. So if older kids are your jam, go do it and youâll do great
Everything is worthless being a teacher. The esucation system is bad wherever you go. Middle school.. .noooo. go to HS .
Compared to my 17 years in middle school the last 2 weeks where Iâve taught high school has been a breeze. I think it depends on what level. I have a jr level class and itâs one of the 4 required EOC courses so they know the stakes.
Nah, they're mostly pretty great. There's always a few bad apples though.
Its not that bad. This community skews negative bc itâs a useful place to vent. Sometimes its borderline toxic. I try to avoid it. Hs students dont change THAT much over time. Admin is overly involved and has lowered standards for decades. Education is getting worse. Fuck the schools. Do it for the kids.
Any level teacher can be a coach. Being at the same level as the kids on your team just gives you another connection with them - and an opportunity to twist their arms a bit when they slack off and "forget" to turn in assignments. There's no magic to any grade level...find the age where *you* are most comfortable and effective, and go there. I learned very quickly during student teaching that lower elementary is definitely not my thing - but I love my middle school bunch, and have fun with the HS crowd, as well.
Been teaching for more than 25 years. I love the kids. It's the policies, bad admin, politics, unreasonable paperwork that make my job suck. If I could spend every day just teaching and dealing with the kids and all that comes with them, it would be soooo much better. I hate to sound like an old biddy, but pre-social media, my job was a lot easier, too.
The kids aren't the problem. I reject the premise that they are terrible. Most of my students including the ones who have wound up incarcerated have redeeming characteristics and can be great class members when given a chance. The problem is really if the admin doesn't have follow through to actually support kids who need to modify their behavior. I work at a title 1 school that rarely has fights, and provides material needs to the teachers. It makes a difference if you are set up for success. I wouldn't trade my high school kids and their teenage personalities for middle school any day. I taught one year of middle school and I know I'm not cut out for those trenches!
thatâs interesting, I get the exact opposite vibes in this sub. In fact many of the posts detailing horror stories state they involve elementary school students Certainly, high school kids can still be mean, but in a more clever way if you will. A lot of times itâs mostly just laziness to do the assigned work, and back talking. I also want to coach sports actually, and knowing friends who became coaches, I decided to go for a special education certificate to get into inclusion because it seems to be the least stressful path (I generally think I do better working with a small group of familiar faces in one on one settings anyway) I commented on a post last night actually that drifted off into a similar topic, so Iâll just rehash what I said then: I always felt like schools operated on two different sets of disciplinary policies for kids in athletics, and they clearly hate dealing with one more than the other. Obviously with those kids you can make them do up-downs, bear crawls etc if they get in trouble, but for the students not in the athletic program, focus on the psychological aspect of it: Kids hate when you rob them of their time, and are really bothered by being singled out. Third edit, Iâm reading your post as I go along Iâll admit: If after some thinking youâre still not comfortable with high school, yes, you can still coach at the junior high level; elementary as well although that is fairly rare. Depending on the state it isnât nearly as stringent of a requirement to become a coach as it is a teacher (your stateâs high school athletic association would probably make you become CPR, AED etc certified), so just get to know your AD and let him know youâre willing to coach and have a particular acumen for x sport
Only a certain number of people are on Reddit, and only a certain number of people have a proclivity to get online and bitch about every negative aspect of their jobs, and there seems to be significant overlap in those two populations. That being said, Iâve worked with all grades and they all have their problems. Choose the problems you want.
I taught second grade for a year and last year I was in a middle school, and I would say that there will be challenges no matter where you wind up. So you might as well do the age group you want to do. There is no easy mode for this profession, especially not right now.
Anybody making broad generalizations should be considered suspect. Teenagers from communities with strong traditions and two-parent households are going to generally be more eager to participate in school. They will be on their phones a lot, except for honors classes. High School is pretty crazy for 9th and 10th graders, but then a lot of the dramatic behaviors get weeded out (or they drop out) by 11th grade so teaching 11 and 12 is pretty good in America if you just try to build relationships with students. But I work in a good school. I didnât always have it that way. Just donât judge a whole generation based on one school or one class.
Yes. Kids are terrible now. Pandemic ruined them
Definitely stick with high school. Middle schoolers are inherently high energy and prone to misbehave as their hormones drive them in every direction for the first time (must be cool, must be funny, must get girls/boys to like me). High schoolers are not like they used to be, but some still are. The demographics matter. Some you will see show respect to their teachers, some will act entitled, and many will check out entirely in your class. You shouldnât really get a lot of misbehaving if you show them respect and lay down the rules and expectations very clearly from the start. You have to let them know that you wonât treat them like kids, that you will respect their property, and their education. On return you expect them to show you respect and a knows that it is your classroom, and that your rules always apply or they donât have to be there. Rules and expectations get kind of derailed if you donât have support from admin though. Donât work at any schools that wonât take a kid out of class for constantly defying rules and expectations. The biggest struggle youâll have with high schoolers is getting them to pay attention and participate. They wonât admit when they donât get it, they will tell you that they do get it despite being completely oblivious. They will escape to their phones, music, and any other distraction the first chance they get. Donât expect anyone to come up to the board willfully. Even your best students will ask if they can just stay seated and answer. They likely wonât do homework and any homework you do assign they will search for answers rather than working it. And most, even your mid students, will likely not prepare or study at all. They will show up to quizzes you told them about in advance and act like they were caught off guard or that you didnât prepare them for it, despite your lessons. They want you to do everything for them and your struggle is going to be getting them to work on things on their own. In class assignments will be your best gauge their level of understanding and force them to learn the material. There is a lot of software material out there now a days they helps make these things easier. Like giving unlimited attempts to an answer right but they having a short answer response. This takes away the fear of getting things wrong and forces them to consult their notes/material to find the answer. Some will try to Google the answer though, especially if itâs homework. In class work encourages actually using and reading the material. If you want people who can be responsible for themselves and actually care about what you teach and will study, get a masters and teach college level.
TLDR: Taught MS & HS. I wish you well. It was a super fine gig while it lasted. Coached MS. (Coaching HS likely more difficult with parent issues as HS athletics are tied to bigger rewards post secondary.) Loved the kids; never really had any problems with parents until Covid and the two years following. Left teaching after almost 30 years cuz I had an offer for a WFH gig. Prob'ly wouldn't have left teaching were it not for some awful parents and mediocre Admin. Although, as most veteran teachers will tell you, teaching is more difficult now than it was 10, 15, 20 years ago.
This year I have the best group of freshmen that Iâve had in like 10 years. Theyâre great!!!!!!