Secondary Teacher
Communication Arts and Literature
What do secondary teachers do?
Duties Include:
- Plan lessons in the subjects they teach, such as biology or history
- Assess students to evaluate their abilities, strengths, and weaknesses
- Teach students in full class settings or in small groups
- Adapt lessons to any changes in class size
- Grade students’ assignments and exams to monitor progress
- Communicate with parents about students’ progress
- Work with individual students to challenge them, to improve their abilities, and to work on their weaknesses
- Prepare students for standardized tests required by the state
- Develop and enforce classroom rules and administrative policies
- Supervise students outside of the classroom—for example, at lunchtime or during detention
Teachers work one one one with students and in small groups.
Teachers present information related to the standards.
And teachers lead discussions.
How is secondary teaching different from elementary?
High school teachers generally teach students from the 9th through 12th grades. They usually specialize in one subject area, such as math, science, or history. They may teach several different classes within that subject area. For example, a high school math teacher may teach courses in algebra, calculus, and/or geometry.
High school teachers may teach students from different grades throughout the day. For example, in one class they may have students from the 9th grade and then in the next class they may have 12th-grade students. In many schools, students are divided into classes on the basis of their abilities, so teachers need to change their courses to match the students’ abilities.
High school teachers see several different classes of students throughout the day. They may teach the same material—for example, world history—to more than one class if the school has many students taking that subject.
Some high school teachers instruct special classes, such as art, music, and physical education.
When they do not have classes, teachers plan lessons, grade assignments, and meet with other teachers and staff.
Some basic information
Recommended Education - Teachers are encouraged to continue their education throughout their career. Many go on to earn master's degrees.
Recertification - All teachers must be recertified to teach every five years. This required continuing education, often times in specific areas such as working with second language learners, suicide prevention, etc.
Average Salary - $57,000
Job Outlook - The need for secondary teachers is projected to rise 7% over the next two years.
Is teaching easy?
“We’re not just teachers. – The word ‘teacher’ just doesn’t cover it. We’re also nurses, psychologists, recess monitors, social workers, parental counselors, secretaries, copy machine mechanics, and almost literally parents, in some instances, to our students. If you’re in a corporate setting, you can say, ‘That’s not in my job description.’ When you’re a teacher, you have to be ready for everything and anything to be thrown at you on a given day. And there’s no turning it down.” — Beth Lewis, from About.Com
Is it worth it?
- You are instrumental in helping your students master the subject you teach.
- You help them hone their skills in the subject and develop subject expertise.
- If you are good at what you do, you earn your students' respect and admiration.
- You get a chance to share their aspirations, a chance to build their dreams and a chance to give them wings.
- You get to make a difference!
- Working with young people can help you stay young.
- Summer vacation is a great refresher!
- So is winter and spring break!
How will I get there? Goals!
I will focus in my high school classes over the next five month in preparation for the ACT exam in April on which I want to score of minimum of a 25 in order to get into an accredited four year college.
Goal #2
This semester I will join a tutoring group at my high school to experience what it takes to work with individual students in different language arts classes on a weekly basis.
Goal #3
I will begin researching colleges in Minnesota with secondary education majors and create a list of 4 colleges I want to visit during the summer or early fall of my senior year based on cost, reputation, academic excellence and location.