Which is easier teaching 5th grade or 6th grade?

[Unregistered]

Which is easier: teaching 5th grade to 32 students all subjects & all elementary additions (Dr. Seuss week, student of the week, student of the month etc, etc) or teaching core subjects (LA, SS & Math) to two sets of 32 6th grade students? One is less planning and the other is less grading.... such a dilema... What is your opinion?

[Unregistered]

I think th Grade cuz that's what I teach!

[Unregistered]

I've done both types of teaching regular classes (5th and 7th) and now I'm at sixth grade as the only self contained class, teaching organizational skills to kids who were not ready to move from class to class (my population is made up of many ADHD medicated and nonmedicated, behavior/emotional issues, mild autism, LD, ESL, etc. You get the picture). Does this current position sound like the most challenging? Know what? I love it the most.

I think in teaching you have to find your passion area. When you are in your passion area, it will seem comfortable, not easy...in my opinion if a teacher's job seems easy, they are not doing it right. It should be manageable, not easy. Each class and position has it's challenges find the one that feels right to you. I do hope that you are not a teacher who is looking for easiness, but enjoyment. Laziness i.e. easiness should not be tolerated in the teaching community, those teacher give the majority hard working educators a bad name. Unfortunately, teachers who are striving only for status quo are not let go like people in virtually every other career. We hold on to that system of pay, and we slap ourselves in the process.

Sorry, I got on my soapbox a bit there. I'm sure you are a very motivated, hard working teacher. Good luck in finding your passion!

[Unregistered]

The real question is "Where is my heart leading me?" The answer to that is the answer to your question. Does your heart lead (and your talents) toward the elementary level of schooling and student or to the middle school level of schooling and student?

Good Luck!! :)

[Unregistered]

This is a question I ask myself often. I've taught 5th grade before and I really enjoyed it. Recently I moved up to teach 6th grade at the middle school. There are so many pros and cons to this situation. If you are someone who likes the relationship you can create in a setting with the same core group of students then 5th would be the place to be. In 6th you can have triple the number of students and the bell schedule doesn't lend itself well to create lasting relationships with your students the way 5th does. Don't get me wrong, creating a good relationship isn't impossible if you teach 6th grade, just more difficult. Most of the students are more interested in their new found freedoms then doing fun team building activities. It can work but it doesn't go as nicely as the way it did with 5th grade students.
Additionally, if you teach a subject like Reading or Language Arts- boy oh boy has grading gotten ridiculously out of hand. Talk about hours of essays and book reports. - Yikes!
For the pros, it is nice to have a new group of students every 50 minutes or so. In conclusion, I agree that you need to listen to your gut on this one. Decide if you like the fast paced, moving monster of hormonal 6th grade, or a more steady pace with some developmental lessons along the way with 5th.