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How do you choose what grade level you want to teach?

I am a senior in high school, but I am taking all of my classes at my local college next year so I will technically be a college freshman. I think that I want to teach elementary school because I currently work with kids and I am good with them, but I just am not sure. I don't know how to pick a grade level to teach.

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Thank you comment icon Hope you got Mona's advice correct, actually, that's the best I can see as at know, very insightful,. thanks Mona, lets keep education burning. Thanks #educationexcellence Angella chepchirchir
Thank you comment icon Thank you, Angella, for your kind words and comment. Mona Ahmadi
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Mona’s Answer

Hello dear. This is wonderful that you wish to be a teacher. I hope you have the best of luck.

If you want to find out what group and grade level will be best for you, you need to spend some time in that position or environment to determine if you have the ability and required skill set to help those groups of students. Deciding to teach at a certain grade level requires you to understand your career goals, personal attributes, abilities, and subject area expertise because all of these play an essential role in determining what grade level would be the best fit for you.

I strongly suggest you read this article. It talks about the differences between teaching at elementary, middle, or high school and the pros and cons of each. It can help you a lot:

https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/what-grade-should-i-teach#:~:text=Making%20the%20decision%20to%20teach,for%20you%20as%20a%20teacher.

Then I suggest you volunteer for teaching assistant positions near you or even ask an educator to shadow them and see how they manage their classrooms and learn from them to experience what it would be like to be a primary teacher for that specific level. You can also join different communities and ask the teachers and educators of those levels so they can share some of their knowledge with you. Also, internships, if you are qualified, can be an excellent way to learn from experienced and professional teachers, and they will help you test out your own qualities and understand what areas in your skill set need to be improved and what requirements you need to work on advancing.

If you are working with young kids, You already know this is a delicate profession. Before you start, you need to put yourself out there and learn how to deliver a subject and handle different situations to be able to coordinate a classroom. But besides all of this, I suggest you go after what is your passion because there you will always feel most confident and happy. I hope it was helpful.
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Karen’s Answer

During the previous academic year, a high school senior spent the final 1.5 hours of their school day in my art classroom. Throughout this period, they crafted lesson plans tailored to specific grade levels. Once they felt confident, they stepped up and taught one of these lessons to my second-grade students. The student teacher had a clear passion for teaching art, but they were uncertain about their preferred grade level and whether they wanted to specialize in Art, Special Education, or English as a Second Language.

To assist them in their decision-making process, I didn't just limit their experience to my classroom. I connected with other teachers in our school, arranging for the student teacher to spend a few days shadowing them. This could be something you might want to explore with your high school - perhaps they have a similar program where you can observe teachers across elementary, middle, and high school levels to find where you feel most at ease.

Our student teacher, who did a fantastic job with the second-grade students, discovered that they particularly enjoyed working with my fourth-grade students. This experience helped them gain a better understanding of their teaching preferences. So, don't hesitate to seize such opportunities - they can be incredibly enlightening and rewarding!
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Alan’s Answer

You very well might not know until you've actually experienced the different age groups and have gotten a sense of what felt right. When I went into teaching, I had absolutely no idea that I would be drawn to early childhood. Undoubtedly, some of it was psychological, something about my own upbringing and educational experiences. Later on, I made a lateral career move to college teaching, to prepare a new generation of teachers to take my place. You'll have to consider the developmental needs and abilities of different age groups, along with exploring the curricula for each grade level, and compare it to what you feel best complements what and how you'd like to teach. Be open, as you very likely won't be assigned to your ideal choice at first anyway.
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