Teachers! Tips for transitioning from teaching high school to elementary
December 20, 2020 10:18 AM Subscribe
After many years of teaching high school world language classes, I will be switching to teaching ESOL/ELL in elementary school. Educators who have made the switch either way, I'd love your advice and anecdotes!
While I loved teaching foreign language classes to teens for over a decade, I wanted to mix things up and change districts and subjects. I will soon start teaching English language learners in elementary school. I am certified in both areas and have some experience working with younger learners as well as teaching English. I feel confident and excited about this new opportunity but know the more you know, the better!
While I loved teaching foreign language classes to teens for over a decade, I wanted to mix things up and change districts and subjects. I will soon start teaching English language learners in elementary school. I am certified in both areas and have some experience working with younger learners as well as teaching English. I feel confident and excited about this new opportunity but know the more you know, the better!
Best answer: I switched from being a 6-12 librarian to a K-5 librarian. It was not my choice to switch - I had zero elementary experience and never even considered teaching at that level. I loved it almost immediately. The kids LOVE you and are up for whatever you want to do. They haven't done everything a hundred times already, so they're eager to learn. I enjoy their enthusiasm and curiosity so much more than I thought I would.
You do have to break things down into teeny tiny parts and go much more slowly than you could ever imagine. They don't have the background knowledge that older kids have, so I had to learn to explain things differently, often more visually or using movement. (There's a reason elementary teachers use so many songs and call-and-responses.) Routines and expectations are important at any level, but kids respond to them so much better at the elementary level.
posted by Barnifer at 2:43 PM on December 20, 2020 [2 favorites]
You do have to break things down into teeny tiny parts and go much more slowly than you could ever imagine. They don't have the background knowledge that older kids have, so I had to learn to explain things differently, often more visually or using movement. (There's a reason elementary teachers use so many songs and call-and-responses.) Routines and expectations are important at any level, but kids respond to them so much better at the elementary level.
posted by Barnifer at 2:43 PM on December 20, 2020 [2 favorites]
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The biggest difference was pacing. Everything has to be slower with more time for steps. I could give three step directions to HS students but had to break that into six steps in 6th grade.
I also had to really tone down any sarcasm or extreme use of idioms or figurative language - it had to be much more literal the younger the kids were. And lots more positive reinforcement.
A good friend of mine recently transitioned from 9th grade English to K-8 STEM and loves it and would never go back. His name is Sam Patterson and he is active on Twitter if you want to see what he does.
posted by guster4lovers at 11:11 AM on December 20, 2020 [3 favorites]