Elementary school can be a great level to teach but it can have some challenges. If you are aware of these and prepared for them, they can make the job much easier for you.
1. Don’t baby your kids. Since the elementary level kids are so young, the tendency for many new teachers is to baby them. This is natural and understandable but it can really come back to bite you. The kids can get attached and forget that you are a teacher and not a parent. You may also develop a reputation for being too soft so be careful of that. Always be compassionate but don’t baby the kids too much.
2. Try not to get emotionally involved. It can be hard with little kids not to get emotionally involved in their lives. However if you do this early on then you are setting yourself up for a bumpy ride. There are going to be kids that have problems at home or in their lives and you must maintain the teacher figure and try hard not to get too emotionally involved on this level.
3. Try not to take criticism personally. You are going to be criticized either by other teachers, by your principle, by your kids, or by parents so you must be ready for this. There are so many people who think they understand teaching and therefore you must be ready to deal with the criticism and not take it personally on any level.
4. Try not to let parents rattle you. There are some parents that think they always know best. There are other parents that can get downright nasty. Though the majority of your parents will be great, there are always exceptions to the rule. If you know this and can prepare yourself for them, then you are going to be a much better teacher.
5. Stay focused no matter how bad the day is. There will be days that make you wish you were in a different profession. Getting burned out is quite easy for those that teach. No matter how hard it gets though you need to maintain your focus and always stay on point for the better of the kids and for you.
6. Don’t be taken off guard by student issues. Some of your students may have learning disabilities, others may have personality issues. Some may have personal issues and still others may have issues that are well beyond your scope or comprehension. It is your job to be prepared for these and to know the best way of dealing with them if they ever come your way.
7. Maintain your professionalism at all times. No matter how much a student, a parent, or another teacher may get to you, it’s important to always stay professional. This is your job and part of the responsibility so maintain a pr9ofessional front no matter what.
8. Never give up or lose your cool. You may get mad and you may get frustrated but you can’t ever show this. Kids are very sensitive, particularly at this age. So be aware of this and never let your anger or frustration get the better of you as that can be detrimental in every way.
This is a great level to teach but you must be mindful of several things. If you can keep yourself focused, you will be an excellent teacher because of it.
Mary M.F. Frederick enjoys writing about program requirements for educational degrees and how to become a teacher.