Secondary Educator

Secondary Educator

Secondary educators have the very important responsibility of shaping the lives of the young men and women that they instruct. As students move from middle school to secondary school (also known as high school), their lives are expanding in all directions. With this responsibility comes great pride and joy. The main purpose of a secondary teacher is to help high school students engage in more in-depth study of subjects they first learned in elementary and middle school. They influence the goals and confidence level of students who are starting to focus on their future. A student's high school career directly affects whether and or where that student goes to college, which can ultimately determine where a person goes in life. Needless to say, secondary educators have one of the most important jobs in the world. Secondary Education is a highly reliable and rewarding career for those who choose to pursue it.

There is a certain career path that must be followed to attain a career in secondary education. The first step is to enroll in a bachelor's degree program at a university that offers the major that is desired. The top two teaching schools in the state of Michigan are Michigan State University and the University of Michigan (Riley 2011). The Next step is to arrange a student teaching internship. While completing the necessary educational requirements, prospective teachers should contact their program or an academic advisor in order to arrange a student teaching internship, this teaching fieldwork is typically completed at a local high school (Woods 2011). Student teaching is a clear indicator on whether education is right for a certain person because it gives the full experience of teaching in secondary education. Following student teaching, a teacher license must be obtained. Michigan law requires that a person employed in an elementary or secondary school with instructional responsibilities shall hold a certificate, permit or occupational authorization valid for the positions to which he is assigned (Michigan Department of Education, 2011). Once the proper certification has been obtained, the next step is to seek employment. The key is to find a school that is a good fit to ensure success. Finding the right fit can help and educator achieve tenure, which is the act or length of time that something is held or the achieved status of having one's employment position become permanent. After a secondary educator is established in a school, the Final step is to pursue a grad degree. Secondary teachers obtain a masters degree in education within a certain timeframe after starting their teaching career, this usually takes 2-3 years (Woods, 2011). The details of these steps can vary fro person to person, but these are the general steps that must be taken to pursue a career in secondary education.

Secondary education is a full time commitment that stretches outside the classroom. Most teachers work the traditional 10-month school year, with a 2-month vacation during the summer (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2009). The two-month vacation period can be used however the educator pleases. Some teachers choose to take on a summer job. Others choose to be involved in paid coaching positions for athletic programs that the high school offers. A typical school day lasts about 7 hours where a teacher has several class periods. There is usually a planning period that a high school teacher has at least once a day where they don't have a class. This period isn't a free time period where a teacher can do what he or she wants, but rather time to get work done. When the school day is over high school teachers usually are expected to put in some time working with students or getting some of their own work done. Other teachers could have a commitment to running a practice if they coach a sport. Teaching in high school is no joke when it comes to the hours and commitment required for a successful secondary educator.

The work environment for a secondary educator is like no other type of education. Throughout a day there are around 5 different classes that a high school teacher will see. Every class can have its own personality, which can be a good or bad thing. A good teacher wants to provide a quality environment for their students. "If you are interested in providing an environment for students that you believe will encourage confidence and motivation for success, learning to ask for help is very important, change your methods if necessary"(Maloy 8). A teacher must find the best ways to control and educate a classroom.