another thought

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another thought
By Diane

How little do you mean by little? When I first
started my program, I was debating between early childhood and elementary (in MA, these areas overlap covering PreK-3 and 1-6, respectively). I wanted to be a primary teacher,
so I could have gone either way. Having now finised my degree and teaching my own classroom, I have found there are/would have been advantages to both programs, in terms of their emphases. Double majoring in these two areas was not an option, but I would recommend it if your school allows it. I had friends in early childhood, and we found that the same important things were presented

(re: primary grades), but certain ones got better emphasis in each program. I double majored in elementary and special ed (prek-9th), and my special ed degree covers me down to preschool. I teach 3rd right now and am moving to K next year. I plan to get my masters in early childhood with an emphasis in either literacy or sped.

Other than that, as long as you're not debating the whole k-12 range, don't worry. Between regular and special ed, I did internships and practicum work in every grade level group from 3/4 preschool up to high school. I set up the high school level work myself, but the rest of it was assigned as part of my degree program. You will learn a lot from these experiences. Another way to "test the waters" is to substitute at different grade levels. Your class schedule may allow you to sub a few days a week, or make yourself available during breaks or at the end of the college school year. When I was in school, a family friend who is a VP specifically asked me if I would do this for him-- some of the times teachers are absent the most! I filed away many great ideas for organization, routines, displays ,etc. by seeing different teachers' interpretations of things, and sometimes took home extra copies of worksheets I liked.

Different states divide up their age groupings differently, but check into how your state does it. Also, if your college is not in your home state, consider whether you plan to go home or stay there to teach so you can fill the correct certification requirements.

AND, I know I'm rambling, but I also think it's ok to be open to a wide range of grades. By my junior year, I knew I wanted to student teach grade 1, so I was devastated when I was assigned to 6th for final and biggest pre-prac before student teaching. I ended up enjoying it and learning a lot. A good lesson for me too, because especially when looking for jobs, it's important to be open to something other than your first choice. I also have friends who took jobs outside of the grades they wanted (or thought they wanted) and fell in love with those grades. While the primary grades are definitely my overall preference, I have found that there was at least SOMETHING I loved about each of the age levels I've worked with.