do you have to work harder in college if you want to be a 7th grade teacher than a 1st grade teacher?

Answer 1

Definitely not!!! I teach grade 7 and feel I have a much easier job than grade 1. Anyone teaching grade one has a lot of pressure on their shoulders. They are starting out children's learning and school experiences. If students do not learn how to read and the basic number concepts in grade 1 - I have a much harder job in grade 7.
You also have to more look at where your personality fits as to which level you would want to teach. To teach in grade 7, you have to have be able to be flexible and realize that all of your students are really starting to become adolescents and do not listen to you any longer because you are the teacher.
If you are considering going into education and don't know what level you would feel most comfortable in, I would suggest volunteering in classrooms to see where you feel comfortable. Don't decide on where you want to teach based on the amount of work you have to do in university - that isn't where the real work of teaching comes - it comes after you get your job and have to work with your own classroom!!!

Answer 2

I don't feel like reading what everyone else wrote right now so if I repeat I am sorry... I am endorsed for K-8 which means I can apply for any positions that are K-8 (duh) so now you tell me, do you think that I had to work harder to become a 7th grade teacher rather than a 1st? The course work and study of child development/psychology was the same for everyone in the program regardless of what we wanted to teach. I can teach 7th grade whatever but will need to go back to get an endorsement for my degree to teach the many subject areas... For 1st grade, I can go back to school and get the Early Childhood endorsement for my degree. Both grades require WORK... HARD WORK...

Besides, if you can manage a 1st grade class you can manage anything! (teachers get that)

My advice... go to college.

Answer 3

This question is like comparing apples to oranges... Whereas you would need to understand content and implement learning strategies at a higher level to teach middle school, a 1st grade teacher has to understand not only how to teach a child to read but to familiarize themselves with the methods and science behind it, language development, phonics, diagnosing reading problems, how to increase comprehension, fluency, vocabulary development, and so forth. As a middle school teacher, I have to be aware of these things but it does not come into practice as much as in the lower grades. We have lots of other things to worry about as well.
But to answer your question, most elementary ed. degree programs will prepare you to teach 1st through 8th so you have to prepare for either grade anyway. It's all work!

Answer 4

The short answer is no.

In most jurisdictions, in order to become a certified teacher, you must have a college or university degree and professional training (a degree or certificate) in teaching. People teaching early years are not less trained or skillful than people teaching older students.

It takes great patience and dedication to teach children in grade one; it takes a different kind of patience and a good sense of humor to teach grade sevens -- widely considered the most difficult grade to teach (along with grade eight -- due to the whole puberty thing).

No matter whether you want to teach grade one or grade eight, you should strive to do your best in your course, and to develop a broad knowledge base, that you can bring to whatever classroom your find yourself in.

Answer 5

No. The classes are very simular. But some specialize in early childhood education and some specialize in secondary education. It has more to do with teaching you how to best approach children at whatever age you will be teaching.

Answer 6

your approach to learning is messed up

Go to college to learn absolutely as much as you can, forget the
fear of 7th grade teaching somehow being" harder"

Answer 7

you shouldnt have too. of course you should work hard in college, but since teachers may change what grade they teach throughout their career, college shouldnt matter much then.

Answer 8

probably because you have to take different classes than you would if you were going to be a1st grade teacher. the math and science classes would be different