While enrolled in college and studying education, students often think about where they want to teach, and many find themselves wanting to teach in suburban schools. Most colleges in the country are in suburban areas, which means that your student teaching experiences will take place in those schools and you will feel more familiar throughout your career working with students and districts similar to your first teaching experiences. Before applying for jobs in those districts, learn more about what those teachers do and experience every day.
Block Schedules
According to Julia G. Thompson, an English teacher working in a suburban school, some of these schools operate on a block schedule. Though you might think that teachers work long hours and only get a break for lunch, many schools now operate on a block period schedule. Instead of working with one class for 45 to 60 minutes and then immediately working with a new class, you might spend just under two hours working with the same group of students. Schools that use this type of schedule often require that teachers work one block and take the next block off, which gives them time to grade papers and prepare for later classes.
Higher Pay
The amount that teachers make varies drastically from one school to the next. A teacher working in a private school might make thousands more every year than a teacher working in a public school. Teachers often earn a salary that is commiserate with the cost of living in the area, however teachers salaries do not often keep up with changes in the cost of living. On average, though, teacher working in a suburban school usually have the the opportunity to make more money.
Teach Single Topics
You may hear horror stories from those working in urban districts about working with students of different ages and education levels or stories from rural teachers about teaching multiple topics. These problems generally do not apply to those who teach in suburban schools. Teachers working in these areas often work with students of a specific grade or age level and teach just one topic. Even if you teach different grades, you’ll still work on the same subject. Suburban schools often hire separate teachers for elementary, middle or junior high and high school classes.
Work with Others
One benefit of working in a suburban schools is that you have the chance to work with others throughout your career. These schools may have dozens of teachers with familiarity in the same topic, and you can learn tips about working with your students from those teachers. You’ll also see the same students walking down the halls for years, which lets you form close relationships with those students. Suburban teachers may also have the chance to form friendships and relationships with the parents of their students.
Teaching in a school located in a suburban area is unlike teaching in an urban district or a rural community. Many teachers find that they experience less stress and are happier with their jobs than those who teach in other areas. When looking at the job prospects open to you in the future, you may decide that you want to teach in suburban schools.