Middle School English Teacher Responsibilities

Middle school is basically the combination of 3 to 4 grade-level classes from grade 6 to grade 9, hence it comprises of young adolescents. So the teachers dealing with these students have to maintain audacity and perseverance in their behavior. The students at this stage turn into adolescents and hence it is the responsibility of the middle school teachers to diversify their teaching habits by implementing innovative methods of learning, pertaining to the physical, mental, and behavioral challenges faced by the adolescents.

Key Responsibilities

The main responsibility of a middle school English teacher is to contribute to the overall development of students, imbibe the sense of progress and responsibility in them, and reinvent their potential in a progressive way that shapes their future positively. But the major challenge arises in the complexity involved while handling a developing young mind in that tender age.

The key middle school English teacher responsibilities comprise:

1. Academic
   • Implementing the instructional curriculum in accordance with the syllabus; planning appropriate teaching and learning activities as per the curriculum
   • Managing classroom etiquettes along with creating positive learning environment for students, assigning them homework, and other project work for enhancing their learning abilities
   • Evaluating their performances by conducting class tests, checking their progressive reports, ensuring overall progress in language learning, and maintaining open communication to assist their progress
   • Interacting with students, encouraging them to learn the language by opening up the possibility of asking questions in the area of their difficulty
   • Identifying the students with learning difficulties through their evaluation systems and providing additional academic assistance to them for sorting out their language inability
   • Providing compiled learning resources to students from books, reference texts available with school, and study material available on the Internet
   • Developing team spirit, cooperation, and tolerance in the students by engaging then in group activity
   • Provide safe and competitive learning environment, where students can gain competitive spirit, enhance their intellectual abilities, and develop a higher level in their thinking

2. Administrative
   • Establishing the sense of rules and regulations in students, monitoring their behavior in classrooms and school premises
   • Coordinating and conferring in parents / guardians, counselors, teachers, administrators, etc., for resolving the behavioral / learning issues of the students, if any
   • Filing and maintaining accurate and complete progressive records of the students in both physical and computerized form for academic purpose
   • Maintaining the evaluating system of students as per the requirement of administrative and national regulatory authorities
   • Promoting the use of interactive learning technologies like e-learning and Internet, and developing educational programs pertaining to the current educational trends
   • Gathering up-to-date knowledge on latest research and strategies regarding the implementation of language learning in students
   • Working in accordance with the latest classroom teaching policies implemented by the state and national legislation and school regulation
   • Providing active assistance in important departmental and parents meetings and other school activities, providing management assistance

Since a middle school English teacher has to deal with adolescents in their growing age, it is necessary to implement the instructional program that appeals to the young mind. The challenging aspect of teaching in middle school is that the teaching responsibilities are very dynamic. The growing kids work with their own minds and sometimes the teachers have to go down to their level to read their thoughts and implement a new strategy for enhancing their learning abilities.

Required Qualifications and Skills

The basic qualification required for teaching language in middle school is Bachelor's Degree in English language or its equivalent from an accredited college / university. Also, the teaching license / certificate from the designated authority assigned in the respective state is essential. The teaching license can be obtained once the candidate has passed successfully in the teaching certificate exams conducted separately in all the states. Knowledge about the administrative laws in that particular state is preferred.

Apart from the basic qualifications, a middle school English language teacher is required to have the strong oral, written, and verbal communication skills for successfully carrying out the duties. Fluency in communication is acquired by experience and hence the experienced professionals are given more preference in this field. Knowledge of additional language apart from English, previous experience in language teaching, post-graduation in English language, etc., are other additional attributes which are considered before selecting a candidate for this post.

Salary Compensation

The salary of a middle school English teacher varies depending upon the his qualifications and experiences. Average salary falls between $35,000 to $45,000 annually.

Teaching in middle school itself is a very dynamic career, as the accomplishment of the core responsibilities in this profession depends wholly upon the behavior of the students and this tests the teachers' ability to handle it properly. Thus, having a keen look on middle school English teacher responsibilities will be beneficial, before making a career move in this field.