It’s okay to be honest about your feelings toward teaching. It’s okay to admit a burning desire to teach a specific age range over another. This is America! You have choices! So you don’t want to teach a bunch of rambunctious little nose pickers? You say you’d rather teach a more mature crowd? A crowd that can sit down for longer than 10 minutes? Then come on in! You sound like a prime candidate for secondary school teaching.
The secondary school teacher teaches high school students. But unlike elementary school teachers, secondary school teachers teach a specific subject rather than a multi-subject curriculum. They may teach science or math or English or social studies. And they may even teach the same subject to freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors although many focus on a specific type of subject for per student class.
A science teacher for instance, may teach general science to freshmen, biology to sophomores, physics to juniors, and chemistry to seniors. Then again, a school might provide a different teacher for each one of those individual disciplines of science. Either way, secondary school teachers prepare students for both post-secondary education (college, trade school, etc.) and employment (secretary work, customer service, etc.).
They do this with unique lesson plans, tests, and homework. They use grades as progress meters and consult with parents sever times throughout the schoolyard. They may even supervise school activities such as educational field trips.
To work as a secondary school teacher, you’ll need a bachelor’s degree at the very least. A degree in education or teaching will suffice, however with a master’s degree, you can focus more on your chosen interest more so than on teaching (though a few courses in teaching and a specific number of training hours are required). You’ll also need a state issued teaching license.
Secondary school teachers earn a salary based on education, experience, location, and school type. The subject matter can also influence salary. Generally, teachers who specialize in math and science earn more than those who specialize in say, jewelry making or creative writing.