Teacher shortages from primary to graduate school are a serious issue anywhere in the world today, including in the United States. Licensed teachers shift to a more profitable career, while younger people are less likely to pursue a career in education. So, if you are a school teacher, you may be faced with the dilemma of having to teach multiple grades.
You should teach a different grade for career growth. Doing so can help you learn valuable skills and gain marketable experience that will make it easier for you to get a promotion or pursue a lucrative career elsewhere. Moreover, you can help relieve the issue of teacher shortage in your district.
Of course, every teacher knows it can be challenging to take on more responsibilities and prepare new lesson plans. However, after reading this article, you might just find some motivation to take on the task of teaching a different grade. Read on!
The Benefits of Teaching a Different Grade
Long-time teachers are likely to have established a routine or set of best practices to carry out their lessons efficiently, especially if they’ve been handling the same grade level for several years. Understandably, it can be daunting to be asked to teach a different grade suddenly.
Anyone could tell that teaching a different grade can mean more preparation. However, if you look past that, you will find several benefits. Let’s discuss some of them below:
You’ll Gain More Valuable Skills
Teaching a different grade–or even multiple grades in the same school year–can help you gain numerous skills you can use for personal and professional growth. Such skills include:
Time Management
Teachers must have excellent time management skills. However, it’s admittedly something that needs a lot of work and dedication to master. Handling multiple grades will compel you to manage your time more efficiently to meet the demands of the profession.
Although it can be stressful, looking at the bright side, you will eventually notice your improvement.
Flexibility
Teaching a different grade will help you become more flexible in handling various age groups. Understandably, it can be unnerving to enter a room full of older kids than you’re used to. The same thing can happen when you start teaching younger kids after several years of working only with older ones.
Once you get the hang of it, you’ll be amazed at how much easier it becomes. It is a life skill that you can use even outside school.
Knowledge
It’s a given that teaching a different grade will expand your knowledge. Teachers must also be open to learning new things, as it can help them put themselves in the shoes of their students.
Teaching a new grade can help you meet more students, observe their behavior, and learn new strategies to establish a solid student-teacher relationship with them. The experience will also help boost your qualifications in case you want to move to a different school. Many schools value experience in addition to higher degrees.
You Can Help Relieve the Issue of Teacher Shortage
As discussed, the current teacher shortage is a pressing concern in the US. With an increasing number of teachers leaving the profession and a declining number of younger people who want to work in the education sector, there just aren’t enough people to fill every teaching position.
However, despite the shortage, schools must continue to operate to educate the younger generation. Deciding to teach a different grade where the demand is higher can help alleviate the burden. That’s why it’s no secret that teaching is such a noble profession.
You May Earn More
Many teachers worry that such a noble decision may come unappreciated, which is sadly often the case. However, depending on your school district or school administration, teachers who handle multiple grades may be entitled to a salary increase or bonus.
Teaching at a much higher grade level may also help you earn more, provided you have the qualifications. Note that most school districts don’t allow teachers to teach outside their subject matter expertise or teaching qualifications.
Check the teacher salary laws or guidelines in your school or state. It is acceptable and strongly recommended to clarify this with your school administration before accepting the job.
The Downsides of Teaching a Different Grade
Although the advantages of teaching a different grade may seem appealing at this point, you also need to know the downsides so you can make a sound decision. Let’s discuss them below:
You’ll Have To Prepare New Lesson Plans
Teaching a different grade requires you to prepare new lesson plans and practice age-appropriate teaching strategies. Depending on your school’s policies on teaching, other teachers from the new grade level may be happy to share their lesson plans with you.
Otherwise, you can clarify with your school principal what kinds of assistance will be extended to you during the transition. Evaluate the terms carefully before accepting the job.
Students of Different Ages May Behave Differently
It’s only natural for children of different ages to behave differently, and teachers need to employ various strategies to promote optimum learning potential.
Check whether the job is open for negotiations. If you’re asked to teach multiple grades, you can choose grade levels that are not too far apart. For instance, third and fourth grades. It can also help you plan a continuity of lessons and execute your lessons more efficiently.
If you’re worried about teaching an entirely different age group (say, with at least a three-year age gap), you can seek advice from experienced teachers or study the psychological learning expectations of that specific age group.
Suppose you’re feeling nervous about what to do on the first day of school with students who might be very different from those you’re accustomed to. In that case, you can use icebreaker activities that work well for students of all ages. Check out the video below:
Such icebreaker activities can help you gauge your new students’ personalities and how open they are to you. That way, you can effectively adjust your teaching style, which can make your job and your students’ learning feel more rewarding.
Final Thoughts
Teaching a different grade has pros and cons, and you must evaluate them carefully before making a decision. Passionate teachers understand the challenges and the responsibility of educating the youth.
If you’re not ready for a drastic change, you can ask your school principal if it’s possible to give you another semester or school year to decide. Use that time to make the necessary preparations.
Sources
- The Washington Post: “Never seen it this bad”: America Faces Catastrophic Teacher Shortage
- Western Governors University: 3 Ways Teaching Multiple Grade Levels Can Make You A Better Teacher
- CNN: Teachers are leaving and few people want to join the field. Experts are sounding the alarm
- Geneva College: What Grade Level Should You Teach? Five Key Questions to Consider When Making This Important Decision
- National Education Association: Teacher Salary Benchmarks
