Middle School Generalists?

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Helen Back
Posts: 242
Joined: Fri Dec 28, 2012 4:16 pm

Middle School Generalists?

Post by Helen Back »

I trained as an upper elementary school teacher in Canada in a mixed cohort with middle school teachers. In my area of Canada elementary goes up to grade 7. I taught grade 7 for three years, two as a classroom generalist, then as a math and science teacher (although my degree is in a geography). I eventually moved on to another school, but elementary in that school only went up to grade 5, so I opted for that. I am now in another school teaching grade 4, which frankly is too young for me and I'd like to move up a few grades. However, if I move into secondary I would need to teach grades 6 to 12 as a subject teacher.

My question is, what schools have a defined middle school, where I could teach two or three subjects and stay in the grade 6-8 range. I like being a classroom teacher, but I would just like the students to be a bit older. Thoughts? Does it just not work like that in most of the world? Happy to teacher anything, but preferably not English/Language Arts.
Thames Pirate
Posts: 1150
Joined: Fri Jul 05, 2013 8:06 am

Re: Middle School Generalists?

Post by Thames Pirate »

It's harder to teach secondary with your background (no high school), but not impossible. Social studies is a more saturated market than math/science, so you would probably want to go that route. If you can get experience and a license for HS science or maths, do that. But in the meantime, apply apply apply! Especially to math/science jobs.
wrldtrvlr123
Posts: 1173
Joined: Sat Feb 06, 2010 10:59 am
Location: Japan

Re: Middle School Generalists?

Post by wrldtrvlr123 »

There is a fairly wide range with how schools handle middle/secondary grades, teaching assignments etc but I don't know enough to say that there are patterns or types of schools you should be looking at and/or specific schools that have many teachers teaching only MS students (other then the larger ones in Beijing). In general you will want a school that maintains separate divisions and/or one that is large enough so that teachers are not required to teach middle and high school students. When in doubt, spend time looking at prospective school's website. If there are separate sections listed (with their own principals) then they are probably what you are looking for.

When I was an active Search member I did used to see quite a few positions for schools looking for teachers to solely teach MS so that would be a good resource for you to get the lay of the land.
PsyGuy
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Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2011 9:51 am
Location: Northern Europe

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Post by PsyGuy »

You are going to have a lot of difficulty. Even in MS and lower secondary you cant cover the full range of grades (which is typically year 8 or 9). What you are is a primary DT who has a slightly longer grade range (year 7). The best options for you are going to be:
1) ASs that are large enough to have a dedicated MS/lower secondary program, that typically goes to year 8, and they either want a dedicated year 6 or year 7 IT. In which case you will likely be teaching either science/maths or language arts/social studies. or you would teach one subject at a couple grade levels.
2) ISs that are small enough and are developing a secondary program, that only goes to lower secondary (year 8 or 9). Such an IS may overlook your lack of a grade or two.
3) Primary ISs that like you have extended grade levels.

I would recommend that you use you CAN credential and apply for QTS (its a short process, a 15 minute online application). This would allow you to technically teach those couple extra grade levels in MS/lower secondary without any great investment in time or resources. There are additional options in the US (such as Texas) that offer a lower secondary generalist credential, this would cost you about USD$500, and require you to travel to the US.
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