Can Primary Teachers Teach At Middle School?

Written by Mr Mustafa in Teachers' Lounge 

Middle school is an essential step in a child’s development, and middle school teachers generally specialize in these grades. However, middle school also overlaps with elementary school grades. So, can primary or elementary teachers teach at middle school?

Whether a primary teacher can teach at a middle school depends on the state. Middle school teachers must have a bachelor’s degree, a teaching program, and a state teaching certificate. Primary teachers might also need a master’s degree or additional training to teach at middle school.

There is no hard-and-fast answer to if a primary teacher can teach at a middle school. Instead, let’s examine the qualifications for both positions and the factors influencing a middle school administration’s choice to hire a primary teacher.

What Qualifications Do Middle School Teachers Need?

A middle school teacher needs three things to become certified. Those are a relevant bachelor’s degree with a teaching program, a completed middle school teaching internship, and a state teaching certificate.

Not only that but middle school teachers must also major in at least one subject they plan to teach. For instance, an English teacher needs to have majored in English.

There are also alternative routes to becoming a middle school teacher, like taking a master’s degree in education. Even without the correct bachelor’s, a person can still become a teacher through this process or the official alternative licensure.

A middle school teacher can start with any degree and then take a separate teaching program. After that, they apply for a provisional certificate and take on an internship. The next step is to pass the state exam and get an alternative certification.

Remember that the exact requirements vary by state, though. A middle school teaching program is not a universal qualification.

Do Primary Teachers Have Middle School Teaching Certifications?

Questions arise when we realize that middle school and primary school grades overlap. So, a primary teacher might have experience teaching middle school grades.

There is not a specific ‘middle school education’ degree either. Instead, a degree in secondary education is best. However, this degree isn’t vital. Rather, any degree course that includes a relevant major and a teacher education program can suffice.

In contrast, primary school teachers must have a degree in elementary education. Unlike middle school teachers, they do not need to major in other subjects, either.

However, it is possible to teach middle school if your elementary education degree is specialized in a subject. That’s instead of it being a general education degree.

Education Degree also recommends degrees in elementary education for prospective middle school teachers. But they do so under the caveat that a future teacher must check how their state divides its teaching programs. So, there’s no point in taking an elementary education degree as a middle school teacher if the state will only certify you for grades K-6.

In that case, while primary teachers won’t have the correct internship or state teaching certificate, they aren’t out of the running for specific grades.

The National Center for Education Studies (NCES) explains that middle school counts as a subset of elementary school even though it also includes secondary school grades. Furthermore, the grades that middle school covers also vary, ranging from 4th to 9th.

The most common type of middle school offers no grade lower than 6th or higher than 8th. This definition also comes from the NCES, and we will use it from this point onward.

Understanding these facts helps us to grasp the nuances surrounding our question. For example, a primary teacher with a history of 5th or 6th-grade education will not be in the same hiring situation as one who only taught 2nd grade previously. The former teacher has experience teaching middle school-aged children, while the latter does not.

Similarly, neither of these teachers has experience teaching junior high grades. Thanks to the NCES, we know that those are the 7th to 8th grades. By definition, a primary teacher applying for a position teaching one of these grades can’t have prior experience with them.

What Can Primary Teachers Do To Teach At Middle School?

Even though a primary school teacher with a relevant major and experience teaching the correct grades can work at a middle school, they can still improve their chances. Postgraduate qualifications or a valid teaching certificate will reflect well on their CV.

Primary teachers should consider an alternative certification to improve their chances of a middle school accepting their application. By doing so, they can ensure that they satisfy their state’s requirements for teaching at a middle school.

Not only that, but multiple majors can improve a primary teacher’s chances, too. An elementary teacher able to teach various middle school-level subjects is a reliable investment for administration.

It is also wise to remember that a primary school teacher must apply to a specific middle school. The NCES explains that middle schools struggle to fill vacancies, citing departmentalization as a primary reason.

Here we have proof that a primary school teacher needs to know a specific subject for the school to accept their application.

Last, a primary school teacher should also realize the unique demands of middle school teaching. While there might be some overlapping grades between the middle school and their former primary school, there are also significant differences.

Again, a middle school teacher’s department is fundamental. Unlike primary school, middle school teachers focus on specific subjects. A primary school teacher with experience in this teaching style will have an edge in the application process.

Middle school teacher Thom Gibson made an excellent video on things to remember before going into this profession:

What Is The Difference Between Primary And Middle School Teaching?

Not only do primary and middle schools demand different qualifications, but they also expect different teaching styles. Elementary education is less specialized, and classrooms are more self-contained than in middle school.

The age and emotional abilities of children also differ dramatically. Thanks to puberty, children in grades 6-8 are moodier and less predictable than their younger counterparts. They also have a greater desire for independence and rely less on teacher supervision.

Discipline is another difficult challenge for middle school teachers, again thanks to their class’s hormones. Similarly, middle school teachers often become role models for their students.

Conclusion

A primary teacher can teach at a middle school if they have a specialized degree and can adjust to the new working conditions. Nevertheless, the teaching requirements vary by state. A primary teacher may need additional certifications before teaching middle school.

Sources

Mr Mustafa

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