All About Elementary Schools

Teaching in an elementary school can be rewarding because teachers have the opportunity to shape young and impressionable minds. However, with that responsibility can come stress due to a challenging group of students with many different needs and personalities. The work of a teacher is quite intensive; successful teachers have a passion for learning and education. They are able to work with a variety of age groups and skill levels and age groups, and adapt their lessons to meet the needs of their students.

What to Expect

New teachers may struggle at first to connect with their students and meet their educational needs; this may be challenging but is an important step in the development of a educator’s teaching style. Dealing with challenging students and behavioral issues are also challenging, these situations are best interpreted as learning situations that should be employed by teachers to develop a better relationship with their class and develop their teaching skills. Teachers should also expect to invest a long days at work, with hours consisting of early mornings and late afternoons of evenings. Though a teacher’s salary is not as high as many other jobs, there are other benefits, like additional vacation time, that may attract teachers.

· How to Become an Elementary School Teacher: Lots of information on what teaching elementary school brings with it.

· Teacher Salaries: Information about what teachers can expect to get paid.

· Bureau of Labor Statistics: Information on some of the statistics on elementary school teachers.

· OCCinfo: Gives a run-through of the basic expectations and duties of an elementary school teacher.

· Education Portal: Requirements for elementary school teachers.

· iSeek Careers: Information about jobs, education, outlook and requirements for elementary school teachers in Minnesota.

Classroom Behavior Management

Teachers may have to deal with behavioral problems in the classroom, problems may include immaturity or a student’s inability to focus and pay attention to class material. One way to address behavioral issues in elementary students is to post classroom rules and expectations that students are required to follow. If a student’s behavior is consistently disrupting the class, contacting the student’s parents or seeking help from an administrator may be a good solution. If behavioral problems continue after intervention, disciplinary actions may be needed.

· The Teacher’s Guide: List of links to other websites that contain information on disciplining elementary school kids.

· Discipline by Design: Describes the stages of discipline to impose on unruly elementary school kids.

· Behavior Advisor: Website that contains a wealth of information for controlling mischievous behavior in young kids.

· Classroom Management: List of links that provide information on classroom management for teachers.

· Discipline Help: Goes into great detail on dozens of behavioral problems that kids can display at school.

· Pacific Net: A web page that offers many tips and strategies for controlling classroom misbehaviors.

Designing Appropriate Lessons

Designing lesson plans for the elementary school level requires time and effort on the part of the educator. When preparing a lesson plan, it is important to keep in mind that there are specific educational requirements that need to be met; state and institutional guidelines dictate many aspects of lesson plans and class material that needs to be addressed at every grade level.

The Internet is a great resource for teachers; it provides an assortment of lesson plans and activities that can be incorporated into the classroom. There are also many different tools available specifically for teachers working with elementary school students. Besides getting lesson ideas from the Internet, teachers may also use the Internet as a classroom for teaching their students about any number of subjects, given that the Internet is the resource.

· Designing a Lesson: Basic information about elementary school teachers and how they should design lessons.

· SkyServer Projects: Information on designing lessons for elementary science classes.

· Primary School: Website devoted to giving elementary school teachers lesson ideas.

· Academic Info: Provides list of link to sites that contain lesson plans over a range of subjects for elementary school kids.

· Primary Resources: Free teaching resources for elementary school teachers.

· TeachNet: A resource of lesson plans for elementary school teachers and teachers in other grade levels.

· A Peaceful Place is Powerful for the Mind: Lesson plans on developing a peaceful environment inside the classroom.

Other Responsibilities

The responsibilities of a teacher are not limited to teaching in the classroom. Other responsibilities may include working with different committees within the institutions, advise student groups, or work in other areas of student development. Teachers are also role models, teaching valuable life skills and helping students to develop the skills and behaviors to succeed both academically and in other aspects of their life.

· Elementary School Teacher Job Description: Outlines what is expected of an elementary school teacher.

· Teacher Duties and Responsibilities: A basic outline of the responsibilities of all good teachers.

· Responsibilities of teachers: Another, much shorter list of the duties that are expected of teachers.

· Teachers Code of Professional Responsibility: Connecticut State’s definitions of the conduct that teachers are obligated to perform.

· Teacher responsibility: Provides the fundamental accountabilities of a math teacher.

· Responsibilities of the Teacher: A direct, bullet-style outline of what every teacher should live up to.

Conclusion

Teaching elementary school can be a rewarding career choice. Teachers touch the lives of students each day and help students to grow and develop in many ways. Many teachers take satisfaction in the fact they are an integral aspect of their student’s lives and they have the opportunity to connect with students in a manner that will help them grow as individuals.

· Michigan Jobs & Career Portal: Web page that details what elementary school teachers in Michigan can expect on the job.

· Elementary Teacher Schools: Explains to website visitors what an elementary teacher should do on the job.

· California Commission on Teacher Credentialing: Web page that discusses the various paths to getting the right credentials.

· Educator Certification Online System: Explains how anyone can become a teacher in Texas.

· Certification Map: Explains about becoming a teacher in New York State.

· Hawaii’s Public Schools: Information about teaching elementary school in Hawaii.

· Educator Licensure: Information concerning getting the proper teaching license for elementary school teachers.

· Job Profiles: Description on what it takes to be a successful first-grade teacher.