What Kind of Teacher Should I Be? A Guide to the Types of Teachers
When narrowing down your certification path, the decision ultimately comes down to two central questions: “What subject do I want to teach?” and “What age group do I want to teach?”
Most aspiring educators focus on which subject they want to teach, but the age group shapes your lesson plans, classroom environment, and overall teaching style. While your subject determines the nature of your lesson plans, the age group determines your day-to-day experience.
What Teaching Looks Like at Every Age Group
Multiple teachers can teach the same subject, but have different experiences because of their age groups. While an elementary school student may be learning to read, a high school student may be focused on polishing an essay that will open doors to their university of choice. As such, it’s important to consider the nature of the age group when deciding what kind of teacher you’d like to be.
Teaching Elementary
Elementary teachers generally stay with one group of students for the day and cover the core subjects together. The appeal of teaching at this level is the relationship. You watch the same children change over a year, and you get to teach reading, math, and science as connected things rather than separate periods. If this is where you are leaning, our guide to becoming an elementary school teacher walks through the steps.
Teaching Middle School
Secondary teaching trades breadth for depth. You teach one subject to several groups a day, which means you get to go deep in a field you already care about. For career changers, this is often the closest fit, because the subject expertise you built somewhere else transfers directly.
What Are The “Best” Grades to Teach?
There’s no single “best” grade to teach. The right fit depends on your personality, your patience level, and the subjects you’re most passionate about. That said, many educators consider second grade a sweet spot, since students at this age can work independently while still being warm and eager learners. Fourth and fifth grades often earn similar praise for a different reason: students are mature enough to appreciate humor and nuance, without the heavier attitude that can come with adolescence.
Know Which Age Group You Want to Teach? Here’s What’s Next
Once you know the age group you want to teach, the practical details fall into place. Grade bands, subject areas, and required exams are set by state, so the same decision leads to slightly different steps in Arizona than it does in North Carolina. You can review state-specific certification pathways to see how those requirements differ, while your state’s education agency remains the authority on the specifics.1
No matter where you teach, you need a bachelor’s degree, though it does not have to be in education. You also need preparation that puts you in a real classroom with someone coaching you, because no amount of certainty about your age group prepares you for the first week on your own.
Still Not Sure What Kind of Teacher You Want to Be? #TEACH Can Help
Plenty of people begin their journey without a settled answer and discover their calling during practice, when they are actually in front of students. Experiencing the rhythm of a real school day is often what helps clarify the decision.
#TEACH offers an intensive alternative certification pathway designed specifically around this residency-based model. Candidates combine online coursework with individualized instructional coaching from an experienced mentor, ensuring you enter your classroom with confidence, practice-tested skills, and CAEP-accredited preparation.
To see how our residency model and instructional coaching help you discover your path in the classroom, join an upcoming live informational webinar.
When you are ready to take the next step toward a CAEP-accredited teacher certification, start your application with #TEACH today or contact our admissions team to explore state program pathways.
Step Into Teaching with a $1,000 Scholarship
Future educators: #TEACH is awarding five $1,000 Creating Hope Scholarships to eligible applicants and enrolled residents in our CAEP-accredited residency. Apply by September 30, 2026.