So, you want to become a teacher? It’s time to figure out exactly what kind of teacher you want to be before you take the next steps.
There are plenty of reasons why you might want to be a teacher. Maybe you’re motivated by a passion for education, or you just really enjoy leading and uniting a class. Or maybe you want to try and make society a better place by giving people a voice – education is power after all.
In addition to these motivations, there are excellent opportunities for travel as a teacher, and teachers have some of the longest holidays out of all possible careers. Who can resist a six-week summer break?
However, it’s important to figure out what kind of teacher you want to become to ensure that your choice reflects your personality, skills and future goals. We’ve created this guide about all the different types of teaching careers to help you on your journey.
So you want to become a teacher? That’s great! Teaching is an incredibly rewarding career that allows you to make a real difference in the lives of your students. But before you start on this journey, it’s important to figure out what kind of teacher you want to be. With so many options to choose from, how do you decide which teaching career is right for you?
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk you through the key things to consider when deciding what kind of teacher you should be We’ll look at the different types of teaching roles, subjects, age groups and environments so you can find the perfect fit for your skills, interests and personality By the end, you’ll have a clear idea of the best teaching path for you. Let’s get started!
Why Do You Want to Be a Teacher?
First things first – it’s important to examine your motivations for wanting to teach, There are many excellent reasons why people are drawn to this career
- You’re passionate about a particular subject and want to share your enthusiasm with students
- You want to make a difference in the lives of young people
- You love the creativity and variety of the job
- You want to give back to your community or society in a meaningful way
- You’re inspired by a teacher you once had
- You enjoy working with children or teenagers
- You want a stable career with good benefits
Knowing what appeals to you about teaching will help guide you towards the right role. Are you more driven by the subject matter, or by the chance to shape young minds? Do you want to work with very young children, teenagers or adults? Identifying your motivations will steer you towards an age group and environment that fits.
What are You Good at and What Do You Enjoy?
Next, take an honest look at your natural abilities and interests. Great teachers come with all kinds of skills, so don’t count yourself out if you don’t fit the stereotypical mold. At the same time, be realistic about subjects or age groups that you may not have the patience or aptitude for.
Some key questions to ask yourself:
- Do you excel at math, science, languages, history or the arts? Go with your strengths.
- Do you enjoy hands-on, active learning or lively discussions? Consider elementary school.
- Do you prefer a more structured, lecture-style approach? High school may suit you better.
- Do you have the empathy and creativity to teach special needs students? This could be very rewarding.
- Do you have an interest in adult or vocational education? Many non-traditional paths exist.
Reflecting on your innate skills and passions will point you towards a teaching role that you’ll thrive in.
Consider the Age Group
One of the biggest decisions aspiring teachers face is what age group to teach. Each has its own set of pros, cons and requirements.
Elementary School
As an elementary school teacher, you’ll work with young children usually between the ages of 5-10. The pros of teaching this age include:
- Getting to nurture students at the start of their education when everything is new and exciting
- More opportunities for hands-on, creative activities
- Establishing an early love of learning in your students
- Laying the foundations across all subjects
The challenges can include:
- Dealing with behavioural issues
- Lots of supervision and pastoral care required
- Constant high energy levels required
- Wide range of abilities and maturity in one class
Middle School
In middle school, you’ll teach tweens and young teens aged around 11-14. At this age:
- Students are starting to come into their own identities
- You can introduce more complex material
- Discussions get more interesting
- Opportunity to inspire students towards high school and beyond
But this age can also bring:
- Increased behavioural and social issues
- Puberty and lots of hormones!
- students testing boundaries
- Disengagement and lower motivation
High School
As a high school teacher you’ll work with teenagers aged 14-18. The pros include:
- Teaching your subject in greater depth/specialization
- Preparing students for college/career paths
- Mentoring students towards adulthood
- Seeing their maturity develop
The challenges:
- Increased pressure around testing/exams
- Harder to motivate some students
- Dealing with more “adult” issues and problems
- Students pushing back on your authority
Consider which age range best suits your temperament and abilities. Observing different classrooms can also help you decide.
Primary vs Secondary School
Within traditional school systems, the choice between primary and secondary teaching is a big one. Here are some of the key differences:
Primary School
- Teach a class of same-age students all or most subjects
- More supervision and pastoral care
- Get to build close relationships with students
- Less specialization needed
- Creativity and fun are key
Secondary School
- Teach your subject specialty across different classes
- Focus in-depth on your subject
- Students have multiple teachers
- More emphasis on knowledge transfer
- Cover complex and abstract concepts
There are great teachers in both primary and secondary school settings. Think about whether you want to focus on a single subject or teach a range of material.
Public, Private or Charter Schools
In addition to age groups, consider what type of school you want to teach in:
Public – Government funded, open to all students. Diverse student bodies but can have more behavioural issues and less resources.
Private – Funded by tuition fees so may have more resources. Can be more academic pressure and competition.
Charter – Publicly funded but independently run. Often use experimental teaching approaches.
Each school type has its advantages and disadvantages. Visit schools in your area to get a feel for the differences in culture and values.
Subjects to Teach
For secondary school teaching, you’ll need to specialize in one or two subjects. Think back to what you enjoyed and did well in during high school. Common teaching subjects include:
- Maths
- English
- Sciences (Physics, Chemistry, Biology)
- Humanities (History, Geography)
- Arts (Music, Drama, Visual Arts)
- Technology/Computers
- Languages
- Physical Education
- Religious Education
Consider getting a tutor or taking community college classes in any subjects you want to teach but lack knowledge in. This will help determine if you have an aptitude for the subject before committing to a teaching degree.
Shortages exist in certain subjects like Maths, Sciences, Technology and Languages. But teach what you are most passionate about – your enthusiasm will inspire students.
Special Education
If you have endless patience, excellent communication skills and want to really make a difference, special education could be very rewarding. As a special ed teacher you’ll work with students who:
- Have learning disabilities
- Are on the autism spectrum
- Have emotional/behavioural disorders
- Are cognitively impaired
- Have physical disabilities
It takes a special kind of teacher to do this challenging but meaningful work. Special ed teachers must evaluate students’ needs, adapt curriculums, and employ creative teaching strategies. It’s a great career if you want to work closely with students and families.
Teaching Abroad
If you love the idea of traveling and experiencing new cultures, teaching English abroad is a fantastic opportunity. Countries all over the world hire native English speakers to teach in schools or language centers. All you need is a bachelor’s degree and TEFL certification.
Popular destinations include South Korea, Japan, China, Thailand, Spain, France, Italy, Czech Republic, Brazil, Costa Rica and the Middle East.
Beyond being fluent in English, some key attributes for TEFL teachers are:
- Adaptable and culturally sensitive
- Comfortable outside your comfort zone
- Resourceful and able to improvise
- Patient – teaching languages takes repetition
- Creative and energetic
Spend a year or more abroad gaining valuable experience while immersing yourself in a new country!
Adult Education
If the thought of teaching rowdy kids is unappealing, consider working in adult education instead. As an adult ed teacher, you can:
- Teach basic literacy and numeracy
- Lead workplace training or vocational skills courses
- Educate immigrants and refugees
- Prepare students for GEDs or other high school equivalency tests
- Teach older adults technology skills and enrichment classes
The benefits include teaching motivated, self-directed learners who truly appreciate education. The classroom environment is also more relaxed and collaborative.
To succeed in this field, you should be patient, understanding, able to simplify complex concepts and comfortable working with students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Professor/Lecturer
If advanced study appeals to you, pursue a PhD so you can teach at community colleges or universities. As a professor or lecturer you get to:
- Teach students who actually want to be there
- Specialize even further in your field through research
- Have autonomy in the classroom as an expert
- Continually learn through research, conferences and publishing
Who do I want to teach?
Who can you see yourself wanting to teach? Do you want to work with young kids, teenagers, adults or students with complex needs? We’ll go over your main options below.
When most people imagine being a teacher, they immediately think of being surrounded by children in a traditional classroom setting. But what qualities are good to have if you want to be a school teacher?
- You like young people
- You have a lot of energy
- You have patience
- You must be able to discipline well, but fairly
- You can explain things in ways children understand
- You’re a playful person.
There’s also the option to be a teaching assistant in schools if you want to work more closely with individual pupils and you enjoy pastoral care. You also need less formal teaching training, if that puts you off becoming a teacher.
If you want to work in a school but you’re also interested in working with children who face learning or psychological disabilities, you might consider becoming a special education teacher. Below are some qualities that might help you thrive in this role.
- You prefer teaching in smaller groups
- You want to help children with complex needs
- You’re happy to adapt conventional teaching methods
- You might know a specialist skill like sign language
- You’ll enjoy working closely with other teachers and parents
- You’re happy to do administrative tasks.
You don’t have to like children to be a teacher. Or maybe you do like children, but you just prefer the idea of teaching adults – after all, you won’t have to worry as much about discipline or classroom hierarchies. Take a look at the qualities of a great teacher for adults below.
- You’re passionate about education, no matter what age
- You’re non-judgemental
- You’re empathetic but not condescending
- You can teach different ability levels and ages
- You’d prefer to specialise in a subject area.
What kind of teachers are in demand?
Luckily for you, teachers are all in high demand! Primary, secondary and further education teachers are always needed across the UK, and indeed in other countries. A study by the UK department of education found that the increasing population will lead to a rise of 15% more secondary students in 2025 compared to 2018. This means that the demand for secondary school teachers in particular is rising exponentially.
Subject-wise, schools are always looking for maths and physics teachers with specific training, as there are currently some skill shortages in these areas. So, if you are a lover of maths or physics, this could be your chance to make a positive impact in schools. Additionally, you’ll have the benefit of finding work easily across the country.
Other than maths and physics, there is a constant demand for more specialised subject teachers such as RE (Religious Education) and language teachers. Languages are sometimes difficult for schools to teach effectively, so if your talent lies in languages, perhaps teaching could be an exciting option.
Regarding the demand for teachers abroad, many countries, including the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, have teaching on their lists of visa skills – meaning that you could potentially receive a visa to work in these countries based on your profession. There are also many opportunities to work in international schools across Europe, Asia and the Middle East.
It’s Not What You Teach, It’s What Kind of Teacher You Are | Gregory Chahrozian | TEDxAUA
What makes a good teacher?
Over and over again, educators emphasized kindness as one of the most important qualities of a good teacher. “We are in the business of teaching human beings. We must teach them to be good people,” stresses Adam Peterson, Illinois music teacher and tutor. Tina Jones agrees: “Teachers need to be kind, caring, compassionate and understanding.
How do I become a good teacher?
“Be able to take suggestions, offer help, and not take things personally.” Teachers regularly have to work collaboratively, and not just with their fellow colleagues and administrators. Developing strong, collaborative relationships with parents and families is vital. To succeed in this field, you need to learn to work well as part of a team.
What skills do you need to be a good teacher?
Besides the teaching and communication skills you should possess as a good teacher, excellent class management skills are critical. Some of the desired class management skills include: Setting high but achievable expectations for your students– You can do this by teaching them about growth mindsets.
What qualifications do you need to become a teacher?
While institutions can come up with their own training requirements, you’ll need some degree of teacher training, depending on your previous experience and current teaching responsibility. You can take the PGCE or opt for a Level 3 award, Level 4 certificate or Level 5 diploma in education and training.
