Secondary or Elementary????

[JasminHannah]

History - my husband is training as a secondary teacher, and I am sonn applying to train as a teacher. We both plan to move to the Houston area of Texas, most probably the North area - Humble, the Woodlands area once I have completed my training in UK.

:confused: I am about to choose what to train as a teacher, however I am confused. I originally thought I just wanted to teach elementary, but I am unsure whether I should, or should I train as Secondary, and if i don't like it after a few years, retrain for elementary??? :confused:

I have not done any voluntary work in secondary, and the last time I was in a secondary school was when I was sixteen. I have however, done many years of voluntary work with both kindergarten/preschoolers as well as elementary and thuroughly enjoy it.

My heart is telling me to go with elementary, but I worry there aren't that many jobs as in secondary and I may well be closing down my options.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated, I need to get my application in in the next two weeks to stand a good chance of getting the provider nearer to my home. Please help!!! Thank you :)

[sevillines]

"Teaching is a work of heart." You need to do what your heart is telling you to do. To be a successful teacher, your heart has to be in it.
My advice would be to go and do some volunteer work, observing, or subing at a secondary school. However, since you only have a couple of weeks, you might want to talk to some other teachers in a secondary school.
Since you are pressed for time, after you have established a teaching position, you could always go back to school, while teaching. They have some excellent programs for teachers, to help get additional education.
I am also going to school for elementary education. It might take some time to get hired, but I can't imagine not being able to find a teaching postion in early education.
Good luck!! Do what your heart tells you to do, and you will succeed.

[javamomma]

well I would say there are more elementary jobs than high school. We have a staff of 35 elementary teachers in our K-4 building and there are 7 of them in our district. There is only 1 high school and 2 jr highs. Then take that and divide among the teachers field and it really is not that many.

[interart]

You'll be a great elementary teacher! It's obvious that's what you love. Go for it.

[Roswenth]

The program I am studying online is K-8. To add endorsements for middle school all I have to do is take the Praxis content assessments, so I'm keeping that open as an option. I have enough credits in my undergrad in English and Social Studies that I would probably be fine teaching either at the middle school level, though.

[sweetsass]

I just said this to someone on another thread, but follow your heart. The right circumstances will follow.