Many aspiring educators want to join the field because teaching is fun, and some for summer vacations. However, being a middle school teacher plays a crucial role in society and has several benefits. Arguably, teachers are entitled to insurance, paid leave, sick days, summer vacations, and salaries. But, being a teacher is more about impacting students’ life than acquiring personal benefits. Making tangible differences when shaping students’ lives, mentoring, and inspiring them to be their best is one of the most rewarding teaching careers.
Benefits of Working as a middle school teacher
1. It is easy to secure a job
Typically, middle school teachers teach grade six to eight children. Most teachers specialize in one or more subjects. In the sixth, seventh and eighth grades, teachers review concepts learned in elementary school and provide more information, preparing children for high school. Generally, a bachelor’s degree and teaching certificate are the requirements of a middle school teacher.
Most states have a shortage of qualified middle school teachers, making it more manageable to secure a job as a middle school educator. In addition, the nonprofit organization Teach For America offers recent grades opportunities to teach in needy schools.
2. Holidays and flexible hours
Teaching jobs are great for people with families since you get free time to spend with them effortlessly. If you are a teacher, you enjoy regular breaks annually and long summer holidays. Fortunately, as you break for a holiday, your children also go for breaks. Therefore, you get to take holiday vacations together.
In addition, you can engage in other activities during summer, especially for people who do not have a family yet. Defensibly, holidays and breaks allow the teacher to reduce stress, focus, and increase productivity. Thus, teaching middle school is beneficial since one can take extra courses, set up businesses, volunteer for summer classes, or take vacations during breaks.
3. Lifelong learning opportunity
Defensibly, the learning process is for the teacher and the student since education is constantly evolving. Children at middle school are pretty curious, and their questions are very challenging. As a teacher, you will be forced to research to offer in-depth knowledge and connect with students. You will also learn about creative ways and new strategies for enhancing the learning process.
Additionally, you will learn massively from students, especially about new trends, games, or songs. Therefore, as you teach what is in the textbook, you and your student will gain and share more knowledge on various topics and achieve personal growth.
4. International job opportunities
Middle teachers’ job opportunities are available globally. If you have attained all the requirements for being a teacher, you can work anywhere in the world. Besides experience, organizational, decision-making, excellent communication, and presentation skills are valuable skills in middle school teachers, making it easier to secure jobs internationally.
In addition, the areas of specification and where you train is a bonus, and you will be looked on favorably. More importantly, you will explore the world and enjoy the benefits of a teacher. Therefore, if you want to experience the world and teach simultaneously, then being a middle school teacher is significant.
5. Salaries
Although salary is not a motivating factor in a teaching career, it is essential to know you will comfortably take care of your bills and save. The amount of salary is influenced by experience, location, teaching subjects, and level of education. Master’s degree middle school teachers with more experience in urban areas will earn higher than teachers with a bachelor’s degree and little experience in rural areas.
In addition, other attractive benefits include paid vacations and insurance coverage for medical, vision, and dental bills for you and your family.
6. Opportunity to make Impact
Teachers act as co-parents to a child under their care and, thus, significantly impact students’ lives. Hence, it is your responsibility to enhance a student’s passion for a subject. Besides, you also take care of children’s emotional and social needs. You offer motivation and inspiration for them to do better with their lives. Also, you guide them on important life principles such as discipline and honesty. It is rewarding to make a massive difference in someone else life.
7. Exciting days
There is never a dull day for middle school teachers. They are full of curiosity, interest and always fun to be around. In addition, they are honest and speak their mind even on inappropriate things. As you answer their questions, storytelling, and typical class learning, you cannot help but laugh. Children also spread love and look up to you to brighten their days, and hence, you have to stay cheerful all the time. If you have a rough time at home, interacting with middle school students will quickly change that.
8. Friendships
Teaching jobs are highly interactive; you socialize with colleagues and parents. Thus, it becomes more manageable to establish strong bonds that result in lifelong friendships. Although associating with children is exciting, you may have a bad day or a complex concept, and you will need help from your colleagues. Another advantage is planning for vacation since you are all off on weekends and free on summer holidays.
9. Fulfill your Career
Another advantage of being a middle school teacher is sharing knowledge about a subject you are passionate about. The goal of a middle school teacher is to share knowledge with learners so that they can be better despite their varying learning capabilities. Thus, a teacher has a lasting impact on the academic output of the learner.
In addition, you can make progress in your teaching career by getting master and Ph.D. degrees. You can also become a head of department, deputy, or principal, which comes with additional benefits. You have an opportunity to grow as high as you want personally.
Teaching is a humbling opportunity to nurture young minds and mold them into future leaders. Educators are charged with the responsibility of providing for students’ academic, social and emotional needs. Therefore, they give back to society sound-minded people who are ready to make progress. More importantly, they enjoy all the above benefits while impacting the lives of middle school children. If you aspire to become a teacher, do not be hesitant. It is a career you will never regret.
