What a first bog post title huh?! Let’s start a blog about teaching middle school and how it is so fun and every little obstacle you come across can be made into a happy little tree (thanks Bob Ross!). Then, the first post is about the worst day teaching in middle school. The day I wanted to quit my job. So the question is, WHY is this my first post? There are many answers to that. I could go with the easy answer and say “It is required for my grad class.” True story. I am starting this blog for my grad class on how to be a leader in the digital age. But that is an easy answer. True, but easy. I could tell you that I start this blog with this post because I want you to feel sorry for me and other middle school teachers alike. That would be selfish and a lie. The real reason simply because these days are the best days in my career. Crazy right? Yesterday I encountered the worst day in my 9 years of teaching. My previous experience was 7 years in elementary, and now 2 in middle school.

Yesterday was terrible. I was ready to pay a fine to break my contract and go work retail. I had enough of the rude, disrespectful, hateful, disruptive behaviors that I see every day. I was just done. Class hadn’t yet started and I had a student chasing another student across the room and throwing chairs in the process. That was only the beginning. From then on, I had 4 boys (each who sit in isolation from the rest of the students) who just were a constant disruption. Mouthing off, saying inappropriate things and unkind things to each other. The 18 other students in the classroom could not work with all of this disruption. They were appalled that these boys were behaving this way.

Meanwhile in the office…several other issues were taking place. Neither principal was able to remove these students from my classroom so I could teach. I didn’t have any help. Our on site officer had to leave to visit another building. I was alone. I was done. I was ready to grab my keys, go home, and not look back. I became a teacher to make a difference in someone’s life. I had failed. It is now time to go back to the drawing board. I’m tagging out.

Then… that little voice inside said, “WHAT ARE YOU THINKING?! YOU CANNOT LEAVE THESE 18 WONDERFUL HUMANS IN THIS ENVIRONMENT ALONE!” So, I took a deep breath, and sent them all away. I sent those 18 students who were trying so hard to follow expectations away. Those 18 students who are always respectful and helpful. I sent them to other teachers in the building. It was not fair for those students to be in an environment where there was so much negativity and unkind things happening. I sent them away.

That left me with 4 students in the classroom. Those same 4 students who were making me rethink my purpose in life. Finally, after what seemed like hours (really it was 15 minutes alone with these students) the calvary arrived. 2 of the 4 were removed. This helped exponentially. I then retrieved my 18 that I sent away and I was able to check in with them and their day of independent learning.

The bell rang.

A teacher friend told me she had my next hour so I could have a minute to myself to calm down and destress. I took her up on her offer. I closed my door and cried. I cried like I had never cried before. I felt like the worlds biggest failure. I had my pitty party. My kids came back in. Each one with a hug to offer. Each one with something to say that they knew would make me laugh. Each one knowing I had been beaten down, extending a hand to help me back up.

This is why I chose this as my first post. Middle school is tough. Middle school is challenging. But, they get it. I may have failed 4 students yesterday. I am sure I have failed more in my 9 years of teaching. When my worst day of teaching was over, and former and current students passed by my classroom to go home, each one stopped with a hug, an “I love you!”, or even a note that expressed their concern and “if no one told you today you look very pretty,” it was in this moment that I knew I had made a difference in someone’s life. I may have failed with 4 students yesterday, but I have made a difference for over 100. I call that a win.

So, why am I a middle school teacher? For that reason right there. Days are challenging. Days are rough. But the kids you make an impact on, those kids who you are there for when they are having a terrible day, they are there for you in you moments of weakness. The simple acts that my students showed me yesterday were not only kind gestures, but moment changers.

My goal with this blog, is to encourage fellow teachers (and those soon to be) to teach middle school. These humans are so fun to be with (even those stinkers that make you question your career path!)