<p>I never get answers in the Education major section, someone recommended to post here... so
I am interested in becoming an elementary school teacher 1-6. I was wondering what your experiences have been. My mother is a teacher but she is the only person I get any input from it would be nice to hear other opinions. Also can someone tell me If a psychology minor is kinda like counseling because I want to minor in something like counseling. Thank you in advance</p>
<p>Congratulations for choosing a career and an age group where you have the potential to shape, mold, and affect so many young lives.</p>
<p>Grades 1-6 are important years for building the basis for reading, doing long-term projects, and working well with others.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>Teaching is a tough job, and getting tougher with each year and mandate made, no matter the state you work in. Do a lot of pre-practicum experiences so that you get a lot of experience in classrooms prior to student teaching. Be absolutely sure you love teaching so much that you can’t even picture doing anything else for a career! I did an “inter-disciplinary major” in education and psychology at Mt. Holyoke College. If I wanted to do counseling, I would still need to take additional courses and a 300 hour stint counseling (sort of like student teaching for the teaching certification) under a professional mentor. I think each state requires something different for licensed counselors at various levels.
All this being said, there are many jobs you can do with an education background; you can work in ed. publishing, training, go on for administrative certifications, develop curricula, etc. I do wish that I had done more to develop other marketable skills, like office skills, so that I would also be able to work in the business sector during the summers now, but that wasn’t my passion, so I didn’t really think about it when I was younger.
You won’t ever get rich as a teacher, you will work long and hard grading papers and planning lessons at home, and you will ache for many students who struggle, and work with families who just don’t value what you are trying so hard to do for their children. However, you will also feel challenged, energized, no two days are ever the same, and the rewards can be absolutely like gold to your soul, if the job is right for you! Good luck!!</p>