The Top Five Reasons to Work at a Charter School
- Increased Diversity
- More Parent Involvement
- Smaller Class sizes
- Schedule Flexibility
- Many Opportunities for Employment
When you are considering a career in teaching, keep in mind these top five reasons to work at a charter school. As a teacher, you will have opportunities at private, public and charter school facilities. Charter schools are a newer option, and you might not have been aware of their employment advantages.
Increased Diversity
One of the most important reasons to consider working at a charter school is the increased diversity in the student population. The affordable price of charter schools is often covered by scholarships, and many charter schools offer free tuition. This allows children from all levels of socio-economic status to attend the school. Public schools usually have a population of students from a small geographic area, and those students are often of the same type of socio-economic status. Private schools tend to be homogeneous in their student populations.
More Parent Involvement
Charter schools often have a high level of parental involvement and engagement. Parents make an active choice to send their children to a charter school. This means that they are more invested in their child’s education. The parents likely did a lot of research into the different educational opportunities for their children, and they chose charter schools for specific reasons. A high level of parental involvement at the school benefits you and the students. Teachers get the emotional and moral support that they need in order to do their jobs.
Smaller Class Sizes
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, large class sizes can be a problem in some schools. Charter schools typically have a lower student to teacher ratio, which makes it one of the top five reasons to work at a charter school. This means that you can give each student more individualized attention. It also reduces your workload and stress level when there are fewer students in your classroom. In a classroom with fewer students, you may be able to provide more individualized instruction. It may also be easier to delve into complex projects and have more fun throughout the learning process.
Schedule Flexibility
Also among the top five reasons to work at a charter school is schedule flexibility. Charter schools often have different schedules than public and private schools. A charter school is more likely to do a year-round calendar. This means nine weeks of classes followed by three weeks of vacation. The result is less repetition in the curriculum because students do not forget as much of what they learned over the typical school’s summer vacation of 10 weeks’ duration. Charter schools may also offer teachers more job sharing opportunities than public or private schools.
Many Opportunities for Employment
Charter schools have rapidly risen in popularity. They are present in small to large cities all over the USA. This means that you will have a lot of opportunities for employment. Perhaps you would like to live in different places. You could have an easier time getting an entry-level position at a charter school than you would at an exclusive private school. Most public school teaching positions are unionized, and vacancies do not come up often because of tenure. There may be more employment opportunities for a new graduate with their elementary teaching license and certification.
Related Resource: 15 Cheapest Online Programs in Educational Leadership and Administration
Whether you choose to become certified as an elementary or secondary school teacher, your decision on where to work will play a big role in your life satisfaction. Each school is different, and charter schools often have more flexibility and options for students and teachers alike. One or more of these top five reasons to work at a charter school may help you make your next employment decision.
