Middle school teachers are professionals who love a challenge. They are instrumental in guiding students from an elementary style of education toward a high school setup. It is an exciting time when students are also progressing from children to teens. Maryland is one of the top-paying states for middle school teachers, and they are looking for more quality educators.
The average middle school teacher salary in Maryland as of May 2023 was $80,460. Salary ranges can vary widely depending on the city and many other important factors, including education, certifications, additional skills, and the number of years you have spent in your profession.
In our guide, Teachers of Tomorrow will explore the various salary ranges for middle school teachers in Maryland. We’ll also delve into Maryland’s pathways to becoming a certified educator, including alternative teacher certification options.
What Is a Middle School Teacher?
Maryland middle school teachers typically teach grades 6-8 to students between 12 and 14 years of age. Teachers create and implement lessons that meet the standards of the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE).
How many subjects a middle school teacher teaches depends on the district and the grade level. Those teaching younger students may instruct a broader subject range due to the school using a more self-contained classroom style. However, the upper grades will have the students switching classes, similar to the high school experience, allowing teachers to be more specialized.
Middle school teachers are also responsible for helping guide students during their tween years, a period marked by growing from a child to teenager. The mental, hormonal, and physical changes create a dynamic and varied environment. The range of moods, maturity, and sense of humor swing widely, sometimes in the same student in a single hour.
Successful middle school teachers thrive in this exciting and challenging environment. While their teaching style and classroom management strategies may differ, they share similar characteristics. Examples of traits of excellent middle school teachers include:
- Passion: It is a cliché that nobody wants to teach middle schoolers. Those who excel in working with this age group are well known to say they wouldn’t want to teach any other childhood phase. They love the energy and variety that middle school students bring. They enjoy how their students are young enough to look up to their teacher but old enough to have nuanced and intriguing conversations.
- Sense of humor: Teaching middle school requires being able to laugh and find the amusing side of complicated situations. Maturity levels of students bounce around, so they’re tossing out everything, from sophisticated witticisms to basic, elementary bodily humor (fart jokes, galore). On top of it all, the temperature of a classroom is constantly changing thanks to tween drama and mood swings. An excellent middle school teacher can grin through it and keep the class on task.
- Quick thinking: Middle school teachers need to make snap decisions and rework lessons in order to maintain an engaged and productive classroom environment. Those who can rapidly adjust to the unexpected will spend less time utilizing disciplinary tools and more time enjoying their students.
Middle school teachers are professionals with numerous responsibilities. A few examples include:
- Preparing and implementing lesson plans that meet state and national standards.
- Communicating with all essential parties involved in a student’s education, including other teachers, administrators, parents, guardians, social workers, and therapists.
- Create a classroom management strategy that will allow for an engaging, productive, and welcoming environment that meets the diverse needs of their students.
How Much Do Middle School Teachers Make in Maryland?
The average annual salaries for middle school teachers in Maryland as of May 2023, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics:
- Highest salary – $114,160
- Average salary – $80,360
- Lowest salary – $50,700
Middle school teaching salaries in Maryland depend on the school district and the teacher’s qualifications, special skills, certified subject areas and grade level, and years of experience.
How To Become a Middle School Teacher in Maryland
The process of becoming a middle school teacher depends on which state a candidate wishes to teach in. In Maryland, the candidates must follow the pathways established by MSDE.
The most popular teaching pathway in Maryland is the traditional route. The following steps must be completed:
- Obtain a bachelor’s degree. Maryland requires a bachelor’s degree to teach, like all US states. Those on the traditional pathway can select an institution and study area from the MSDE Approved Programs Directory. Middle school teachers often select a degree in education and ensure they’ve taken enough courses in a specific subject area, such as mathematics, English, Spanish, or computer science.
- Complete a teacher preparation program: Colleges and universities usually offer their aspiring teachers an accredited teaching preparation program. Candidates who wish to change schools should select their new institution from the MSDE Preparation Directory by Licensure Area.
- Gain Student Teaching Experience. Teaching candidates must try to put their knowledge, skills, and strategies into practice in a Maryland school. How much student teaching a candidate does is determined by the preparation program.
- Pass Relevant Teaching Exams. Maryland middle school teaching candidates are required to pass various teaching exams for their grade level and subject areas.
- Undergo a Background Check. Maryland requires all adults who work with children, including teaching candidates, to have a background check every 5 years through the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services.
- Apply for a Teaching License: Maryland’s licenses and certifications are applied through The Educator Application and Credentialing Hub (TEACH). See their TEACH Guide for Applicants and Certificate Holders before undergoing the process.
Alternative Route to Certification for Middle School Teachers
Maryland has alternative pathways for adults who already have a bachelor’s or master’s degree. Those who studied a subject in or related to a subject area will have an easier time using an alternative pathway than those who do not.
Alternative pathways save career changers the time and expense of obtaining a second 4-year degree.
- Choose an Alternative Preparation Program. Maryland candidates on the alternative pathway should choose an approved program from the MSDE Alternative Preparation Directory. Candidates should evaluate each program’s cost, flexibility, average length of completion, and whether it is online, in-classroom, or a mixture of the two.
- Pass Required Exams. Alternative candidates must pass the teaching exams for their subject area, specialty, and grade level.
- Obtain Teaching Experience. Student teaching is required on the alternative pathway. However, unlike the traditional pathway, there may be options to obtain the necessary hours while being paid instead of as an unpaid intern.
- Undergo a Background Check. Alternative candidates must use the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services background check process.
- Apply for a Teaching License: Candidates on the alternative route use The Educator Application and Credentialing Hub (TEACH) to apply for their teaching certification. Use the TEACH Guide for Applicants and Certificate Holders to successfully navigate the process.
What is the Highest and Lowest Paying Middle School Teaching Job?
Certified Maryland middle school teachers can choose to work for various types of schools. However, they don’t all pay the same.
- Public schools: Maryland public schools generally pay the highest salaries. However, the salary ranges vary significantly depending on the area of the state and the school district. Teachers with higher degrees and more years of experience will be paid on the higher end of the salary scale.
- International schools: Maryland has some highly prestigious international schools that pay high salaries. However, like private schools, tuition fees vary, and these impact teacher pay.
- Charter schools: Maryland charter schools do not have access to the same funding as the public schools. Consequently, their salary ranges are lower.
- Online teaching: Virtual teaching in Maryland generally offers the greatest flexibility and is an excellent employment option for teachers seeking part-time work. Salaries in tough-to-fill areas, such as special education and math, pay the best.
- Private schools: Private school salaries have the widest range. Top schools, with exclusive tuition fees, pay their teachers some of the highest salaries in Maryland. However, private schools with more accessible tuition costs cannot afford to pay their teachers as well.
At Teachers of Tomorrow, we are eager to help you become one of the top middle teachers in Maryland. Don’t wait! There’s no better time to start changing lives for the better.
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