Should You Become an Elementary Teacher? Here’s How To Decide

Teaching is no doubt one of the most rewarding and meaningful professions. As good as it sounds, though, it’s not for everyone. So how do you decide whether becoming an elementary teacher is the right career path for you?

You should become an elementary teacher if you love being around children, have a passion for teaching young kids, are patient, are good at a wide range of subjects, and have a degree in elementary education.

If you think you would be a great elementary teacher but are unsure whether it’s the right profession for you, let’s take a look at the signs that you should pursue teaching, as well as the pros and cons of the job.

Table of Contents

Consider the Signs That Teaching Is for You

In many ways, teaching is more than a job. It requires passion, and most of its rewards are intangible–the impact you make on a child’s mind and growth as a person, or the smiles that students give during a fun lesson, to name a few. Most teachers pursue this profession, not for monetary gain or prestige, but simply because they love it.

However, there are other telltale signs that you’ll enjoy and excel at being an elementary teacher. Let’s quickly go through them.

You Love Being Around Children

Are you one of those people whom children flock to, for reasons that even you don’t know? Or do you feel energized and happy around kids, instead of tired or annoyed at their endless questions and limitless energy?

If so, you’ll love being an elementary teacher. Though you will interact with other adults (like fellow teachers, parents, and school administrators) in this line of work, most of your interactions will be with kids. So in order to last a day as a teacher, you have to really enjoy spending the majority of your time with them.

Additionally, there’s a difference between enjoying babysitting your sibling’s child for an hour or two and teaching a classroom full of loud and sometimes unruly children.

If the thought of the latter excites instead of intimidates you, then you’re a perfect fit.

Kids are kids, and they will behave the way kids do–some will be quiet and remain in their seats like they’re told, while others will have to be chased down the hallway because they can’t stand staying still.

Of course, school won’t look like the latter all the time, but if you’re considering becoming a teacher and the thought of a noisy pupil stresses you out, then maybe it’s time to consider a different career path.

You’re Good at and Enjoy a Wide Range of Subjects

Unlike high school teachers, early education teachers will teach a wide variety of subjects instead of focusing on just one field. If you enjoy reading as much as you do math and the sciences, you will enjoy being an elementary teacher.

Because elementary teachers teach various subjects, they need to keep themselves sharp in various disciplines of study as well as make sure that they are able to translate their knowledge into bite-sized bits that pupils are able to understand.

One advantage is that elementary teachers don’t have monotonous or predictable schedules. They are constantly learning new things in various fields, which helps keep work exciting. It’s definitely not a boring job that requires you to be hungry for new knowledge.

However, for those that are not fond of having to jump from one subject matter to another every single work day, it can be stressful.

Being an elementary teacher requires you to be an all-around educator who knows their history as well as their one-plus-one.

You Have a Passion for Learning

You can’t give what you don’t have. If you want to be an educator, you have to be passionate about learning yourself. You have to have an innate love for discovering new things, gaining new knowledge, and deepening your understanding of matters that you thought you already understood well enough.

Like in all career paths, learning never ends, but it’s even more pronounced and necessary in teaching. You have to embody what you teach–which means that in order for it to not become a burden to you, you have to naturally enjoy learning.

This doesn’t mean you’re involved in traditional ways of gaining knowledge (such as enrolling in classes). You may simply enjoy reading about subject matters that are important to you, attending seminars or lectures, or getting involved in discussions that enrich your perspective of the world.

If you find that you’re not content with what you already know and are hungry to discover new things, then it will come naturally for you to share the same love for learning with your students.

When it’s something that makes you happy, it will show. And people–even kids–will notice it. Teachers are there not just to share information, but also to influence young people to love learning themselves.

You’re Bursting With Energy

Teaching elementary students requires a lot of energy. Unlike teaching high school or college students where you can be straightforward on the lessons, teaching in early education requires you to be creative and fun.

A lot of games, gimmicks, and even music are involved in teaching young kids because you just won’t be able to retain their attention for long otherwise. This requires lots and lots of energy from teachers–starting from the time that they come up with lesson gimmicks and games to the actual lessons themselves.

And it’s not enough that you’re able to think of fun ways to deliver your lessons. You have to be upbeat, bursting with life, and all smiles the entire time. It sounds pretty exhausting, and even teachers who love it will find themselves running low on energy sometimes.

However, if you just can’t stand being upbeat all the time, it will be unbearable.

On the flip side, if you’re the kind of person who’s always upbeat, ready for games, and keen to have a fun time, then you may get tired, but you will absolutely love it. Moreover, while holding such goofy, fun classes can sometimes get exhausting, it’s still a wonderful way to have a positive perspective on a lot of things.

Plus, when work means laughs and cute little giggles, life becomes so much happier overall.

You Have a Great Deal of Patience

Of course, not every pupil will behave as you want them to. In fact, teachers are more likely to have students who are unruly than those who follow their teacher’s instructions to a tee. And don’t underestimate what one noisy, unruly student can do to a whole class–they often can make their classmates follow suit.

So if you want to be a teacher, one of the things that you should ask yourself is: “Am I patient enough?” Because teaching, especially teaching young kids, requires lots and lots of patience.

Aside from having to deal with kids who just refuse to listen, you will also need the patience to repeat yourself again and again when students keep asking the same questions or keep your emotions under control when a student misbehaves or refuses to follow instructions.

You can’t be an effective teacher if you have issues controlling your anger or keeping calm when things go out of control. Because when you’re dealing with kids, you can never really predict what they’re going to do. So when things surprise you (in a bad way), you have to be able to keep your cool and stay optimistic in order to do your job well.

It’s a big no-no to lash out at students, yell at them when they misbehave or hit them when they’re being disruptive. And when the class is being way more unruly than usual, it takes a great deal of patience to handle it with grace and professionalism.

You Have a Degree in Elementary Education

To be qualified to be an elementary teacher, you need to have a bachelor’s degree in education, behavioral sciences, or early childhood development.

Typically, part of obtaining a bachelor’s degree in education is going through an internship or teaching training, which will help you hone your teaching skills and further assess whether it’s a good idea to pursue teaching as a career.

While the skills and theoretical knowledge that you gained through education are indeed invaluable in becoming an excellent teacher, it’s important to discover whether in the process of obtaining your degree you indeed find it meaningful. Otherwise, this is a good opportunity to shift gears.

Additionally, if you want to advance in your career, you may also need to gain a master’s degree (or higher) in related fields. One of the perks of gaining a master’s degree or a PhD in a relevant field is enjoying a higher pay grade (when you increase in tenure). So if you want to get promoted someday, that’s something to keep in mind.

However, aside from securing that promotion, a master’s degree in education will also help you gain a deeper understanding of child behavior and early education, as well as further enhance your teaching skills.

If you don’t have an education degree, though, you may obtain a teaching license through non-traditional means. However, not all states and schools in the U.S. recognize these alternative teaching certifications, so if you’re eyeing a specific school, you might want to ask regarding their requirements ahead of time.

To learn more about the signs that you should pursue a teaching career, check out this video:

Weigh In on the Pros and Cons

Now that we’ve discussed the signs that you should pursue a teaching career, let’s go through the pros and cons of becoming an elementary teacher. As with everything, there are pros and cons when it comes to being a teacher, and understanding both will help you make a far better-informed decision regarding your career.

Pros of Being an Elementary Teacher

Teaching is one of the most respected professions for a reason. Fulfilling the role of a second parent, you’ll have a huge responsibility to fulfill as a shaper of young minds and as a major influencer in conduct, learning, and interpersonal relationships.

That in itself makes teaching a very rewarding experience for those who choose it as a career.

You Make a Huge Impact on Children’s Early Years

Teachers have the privilege of making an impact on the thinking and conduct of young children in their formative years. Elementary students are like sponges that take in everything that happens around them, shaping their identity as well as their perspective of the world.

It’s during this time in children’s lives when they are most pliable and teachable, and so a teacher’s influence and instructions actually create a huge imprint in their minds that help shape how they approach and view things many, many years in the future.

If you care about building up the future and helping make the next generation one that cares about fairness, equality, and justice, for example, you can actually do so by teaching them to care about things that actually matter.

You may just be teaching kids addition, but the way you do so may teach them valuable life lessons that they’ll carry with them until they grow up.

Work Will Be Exciting

Another advantage of being an elementary teacher is that work will be unpredictable and exciting. Ever heard people complain about their routine 9 to 5 jobs? That won’t apply to you if you pursue elementary school teaching.

Part of the reason for this is that there’s variety in the subjects that you teach. You could be teaching art in the morning and move on to arithmetic in the afternoon. And when you factor in all the different personalities, voices, shapes, and sizes of the students that come in your classroom, you can expect the very opposite of monotonous.

Moreover, working with kids itself brings such a happy aspect to work. Most of the time, it will feel like you’re just goofing around and playing with toddlers. The very act of talking to kids can bring out of you your most joyful self.

In a world that’s filled with so much negativity, that is a huge advantage.

You Will Enjoy a Stable Job

Another advantage of being an elementary teacher is that you get to enjoy job security. No matter the state of the economy, whatever state you’re in, schools will stay open, and there will always be a place for teachers.

Furthermore, unlike other jobs where turnover rates are high, teachers typically stay on or continue teaching until they retire–and that, usually, once they have fulfilled higher roles, such as school principal or administrator. You also don’t have to be stuck where you are because of your job. You can move wherever you want and find teaching opportunities.

Moreover, teachers get to enjoy benefits on top of their regular income, although these benefits vary depending on whether you’re teaching in a private or a public school. These benefits typically include allowances as well as pay increases with every year of service.

The higher your credentials, though, the greater your chances of getting paid more or securing a higher position or a promotion.

Your Schedule Is Flexible

Lastly, teaching allows you to have a flexible schedule. Sure, there may be weekends when you will need to be at work, such as when there are extra-curricular events like field trips or sports events. But those don’t happen all the time.

More often, teachers get to enjoy a Monday-to-Friday schedule and rest on weekends. On top of that, should they need to take a break, they can arrange for a vacation leave and not worry about their requests being rejected.

Teaching is a busy business, but it’s not nearly as hectic as other jobs where it’s almost impossible to have a vacation leave approved.

This way, you get to balance your personal life and work so that both equally flourish.

Cons of Being an Elementary Teacher

As wonderful as teaching is, it’s not a bed of roses either. There are disadvantages to being an elementary teacher that you should consider before attempting to pursue it as a career. Once you have weighed the pros against the cons, you are better equipped to make the best decision for you.

You May Need To Work on Weekends

I previously mentioned that teachers generally get to enjoy a flexible schedule. When you need to take a break, you can do so. However, there are days when you will need to sacrifice weekends in order to fulfill your duties.

While this will not always be the case, it’s important to bear this in mind so that you can approach the job with realistic expectations should you decide to pursue a teaching career.

The good thing about this, though, is that although there may be events scheduled on weekends, you can schedule your leave in advance if needed so that you still get to attend to important personal matters.

Work Can Be Exhausting

No matter how much you love being with kids, adults just don’t have as much energy as children, and you will get tired. In fact, according to US News, children have more energy than endurance athletes!

Simple lessons have to be executed as if you’re giving the performance of your life just to keep your students’ attention on you throughout the class.

That alone is physically and mentally demanding. So you have to prepare yourself for days when you don’t feel like giving a hundred percent and yet have to give it anyway.

Pay Isn’t That High

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, elementary teachers are paid the least (as compared to high school and college teachers). The amount can be even lower when you’re a new teacher.

The upside to this is that the pay gets higher as tenure increases, and there’s always an opportunity to go up the school hierarchy as long as you excel at what you do and have a good track record.

Final Thoughts

Choosing a career is one of the most important decisions we make in life. Before deciding to become an elementary teacher, make sure to check whether you’re a good fit for the job and weigh the pros and cons that come with the territory.

Even though being an elementary teacher comes with its own set of challenges, those suited to the job will find working with children extremely rewarding.

Sources

WGU: Should I Become a Teacher?