Secondary school teachers are responsible for teaching
approved national
curriculum subjects to students aged
11-19, guiding them through some
of the most important
stages of their education –their GCSEs and
A-levels.
If you enter this incredibly important profession, you will be
responsible for preparing lesson plans and teaching
pupils in accordance
with the national curriculum.
Essentially, your primary objective will
be to impart your
subject-specific knowledge using creative, interactive
and engaging teaching methods.
You’ll also be responsible for marking students’ work and
providing
them with necessary feedback, criticism,
encouragement and support.
Why do you like to become a
high school teacher?
“One of the reasons I love teaching seniors is that they're
at that age where sometimes they feel like adults and
sometimes they still feel like kids. They try and act like
they are grown up but once it comes to filling out college
applications and getting jobs they really lean on me as a
teacher to help them through.
It also allows them to
focus on projects and other
interesting activities for the students. ...
As such, it's
possible to create great bonds with your students.
In the process, you can make a difference in their
lives and help them better understand the subject.
What did a high school teacher say?
I always knew that I wanted to become a teacher.
Because of my love
for writing, I chose to study English
Education in college and become a
high school teacher.
However, I worked as a Kindergarten Enrichment
teacher
and daycare supervisor to pay for college, which lead me
to question my decision to teach secondary education.
Although I spent a
semester taking classes in Early
Childhood Education, I ended up
teaching English at the
high school level.I had to think about what was best for
me, just as you have to determine which grade level is
best for you. Where will you excel and
thrive?
If you’re thinking about teaching in a high school setting,
here
are some pros and cons that you should consider.
Pros of Becoming a High School Teacher
Unlike elementary school teachers, high school teachers
only need to
specialize in one subject. This allows
teachers to delve deeper into
subjects that interest them.
Many teachers cover the same course multiple times
each day, so it’s less time consuming to come up with
lesson plans .It also allows them to focus on projects
and other interesting activities for the students.
High school students tend to be more mature than
middle or
elementary school students. Many of them
are looking ahead to life after
high school.
As such, it’s possible to create bonds
with your students. In the process, you can make a
difference in their lives and help them better
understand the subject.
I’m not going to lie to you and say that every day of
teaching feels
like a success. You will have days when you
question your choice to
become a teacher, but it’s the little
moments when
you see a light bulb
come on for students
or help a student through a tough time in their
personal life.
Those are the moments that make teaching all worth it.
And thanks to social media, you can keep track of your
students and see
the people that they become after they
graduate from high school.
Your role as a teacher:
As
you educate the bright young minds of tomorrow, you
will need to pay
attention to each individual student’s
progress through the use of
regular assignments, tests
and projects.
Furthermore, you’ll be
responsible for helping students
prepare for crucial examinations,
admissions tests and
other competitive academic exercises.
From time to time, you may also get the opportunity to
take part in
events and projects outside of the classroom,
such as taking children on
cultural outings, field trips and
excursions.
Teaching, however, is not all about working with young
students.
Frequently, you will have to attend meetings
with other teaching staff,
undertake in-service training
and meet with pupils’ parents to discuss
their academic
progress at parents’ evenings.
On a pastoral support level, you may be required to
provide counseling and guidance to students who are
facing learning difficulties. This may involve referring
students to other relevant authorities and professionals
who may be able to help them.
Teachers also need to keep their skills fresh.
Consequently, you’ll
be required to keep up to date on
new teaching methods and developments
in the
curriculum.
Curriculum
A comprehensive high school curriculum should include math, language
arts, science, social studies and a number of electives.
The goal of a
high school education program is to prepare
students for the next phase
of their lives after high school,
regardless of what that may be,
whether it’s furthering their
education or going right into the
workforce.
Time 4 Learning provides an online high school curriculum
for students
that teaches using an interactive, engaging
approach. The flexible,
self-paced program is designed
so that students can work independently
and progress
at their own pace as they learn new concepts.
Secondary education typically takes place after six years
of primary education
and is followed by higher
education, vocational education or
employment. In most
countries secondary education is compulsory, at
least until
the age of 16.
The Secondary curriculum is a skills-focused program
that provides students with a broad and balanced
knowledge of key
subjects, as well as effective
critical thinking and communication
skills.
that provides students with a broad and balanced
knowledge of key
subjects, as well as effective
critical thinking and communication
skills.
Objectives
To promote the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of all pupils at the School.
To prepare all pupils for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of adult life.
To
enable all pupils to set their life and society in a relevant cultural,
historical and geographical context and understand the nature of the
world in which they live.
To help pupils acquire the
knowledge, concepts, basic and transferable skills, values and attitudes
which will serve them now and in the future.
To help
pupils acquire lively and inquiring minds, the ability to question and
argue rationally and to apply themselves to a variety of tasks and
physical skills using logical processes in investigating problems.
To help pupils learn to communicate effectively using a
variety of media and techniques, including oral skills.
To
pursue and recognize achievement and development
in every individual’s
personal growth and academic results, including those with special
educational needs.
To provide opportunities for
aesthetic and creative development, including interpreting, performing,
creating, designing, making and problem solving.
To
reflect sensitivity to issues of gender and culture and
commitment to
whole school action in the pursuit of good practice in these important
areas.
To develop social, political, economic and environmental
awareness.
To emphasize the acquisition of the tools of study (study
skills) for
lifelong learning, notably the use of information
technology through the
whole curriculum.
To develop in our pupils the ability
to function as
contributing members of co-operative groups through
tutorial work, PSE, residential experience and work
experience and to make informed, realistic and
responsible decisions with respect to their immediate
future.
School Duties
Secondary education provide the learner with :
acquire necessary knowledge, skills and attitudes for the
development of the self and the nation promote love for
and loyalty to the nation promoter harmonious co-
existence among the peoples of Kenya develop mentally,
socially, morally, physically and spiritually enhance
understanding and respect for own and other people's
cultures and their place in contemporary society
enhance understanding and appreciation of
interrelationships among nations promote positive
environmental and health practices build a firm
foundation for further education and training develop
ability for inquiry, critical thinking and rational judgment
develop into a responsible and socially well adjusted
person promote acceptance and respect
All persons enhance enjoyment in learning identify
individual talents and develop them build a foundation
for technological and industrial development develop
into a self-disciplined individual who appreciates work
and manages time properly.
Three Innovative Methods of
Teaching
for High School Educators
Visualization, technology tools,
and active learning
1. Visualization
It can be very hard for students to understand a list of
disconnected
facts. Knowledge that is organized and
connected to concepts with a
goal of mastery, including
the ability to visualize the concepts, can
lead to the
ability to transfer knowledge and to a deeper, longer-term
understanding of what is being taught.
2. Wisely managed classroom technology
Computers, tablets, digital cameras, video conferencing
technology,
and GPS devices can all enhance a student’s
learning experience.
Possible uses of classroom
technology include using video games to teach
math and foreign languages, leveraging Skype to
communicate with
classrooms or guest speakers
from around the world, or multimedia
projects that
allow students to explore subject matter using film,
audio, and even software they create.
3. Active learning: Peer instruction, discussion
groups, and collaborative problem solving
All high-school educators dread a roomful of blank
faces or silence
after they open up a topic for class
discussion. According to the Johns
Hopkins Center
for Educational Resources (CER), devoting time to
active
learning projects is one way to get students
thinking, talking, and
sharing information in the classroom.