Before becoming a mom, I was a teacher. I have taught in some capacity ever since, but not full-time. I have professionally taught all levels from preschool through adult education. My favorite two ages to teach are fourth and fifth grade and adults.
In fourth and fifth grade, the kids still think you are brilliant and are worth listening to. They have a new sense of independence with enough caution to keep them from making incredibility ridiculous decisions. Their abstract thinking is developing so they can start to have deeper conversations, and you really get a sense of who that are and will become.