This week, I asked a colleague to contribute to the dialogue as a first year teacher. Her experience is as follows!

A Day in the Life of a First Year Middle School Teacher

Today was the first day back after Thanksgiving Break and it went surprisingly well. Today was also the day that I realized I am officially three weeks away from being halfway through my first year of teaching. These last three months have been wild. I have experienced such a wide range of emotions! I’ve grown so much as a person and as an educator.

I was actually pretty productive today. I cleaned my classroom up, which was way overdue. The system I had going for organization was not working at all, but I had no idea how to make it more efficient. I started by sorting through the piles of paper on my desk—which I already do every day, but, man, do those papers accumulate quickly. Then I made a to-do list of the other things I needed to get done, which included going through the turn-in bins, cleaning behind my desk, rearranging some things on shelves, and ended with me coming up with new procedures to make sure the room stays clean and organized.

My biggest struggle this year has been classroom management. I never imagined myself becoming a middle school teacher, 2^nd-4^th grade kids are more up my alley. Quite frankly, any child over the age of 10 scared me before I started this job. So, as you can imagine, a lot of the things I learned about classroom management in college didn’t necessarily apply to the age group I’m currently working with. The strategies I was taught to use are often met with arguments and sass from my kids. It seemed like every time I found something that worked, it would stop working after about a week.

Another area I have struggled in is building relationships. This is always something I’ve been pretty good at, but only seeing these kids for about an hour and a half each day (most of which is filled with instruction) makes building those solid relationships difficult. When I asked for advice on how to get my classroom management down, I was told that relationships are key. So that’s what I’ve been working on and I am pleased to say that not only do I know my kids way better, but they are actually LISTENING to me.

I came to the realization that I had made it with my kids today when I said to them, “Look. You are almost halfway through your first year of middle school. I am going to start expecting you to act like middle school students.” Then I explained the new procedures about keeping themselves organized and keeping the room cleaned. While I was saying all of this, they paid attention to me and were excited about taking more initiative in their own education. I guess the advice I got about building relationships rings true—show the kids that you love them, and you will earn their respect.  

I have learned many new things this year, not all of them are directly related to teaching, but they have helped keep me sane. First, I’ve learned the importance of making friends. I would not be in the place that I am now if I had not met new people. I was invited to a Friendsgiving with some people from work and it made me realize that I have a support system in this school, which is the best feeling, especially when you are struggling as much as I was. Second, someone told me during my new teacher orientation that, as a first-year teacher, you should either come to school early or stay after school, but NOT both. BEST. ADVICE. EVER. I have since realized that I get more work done before school, which is not what I would have thought at all, seeing as that I am not a morning person. Finally, I have learned the importance of taking time for myself and doing the things I love to do. This point is being driven home as I’m writing this post while on break at orchestra rehearsal—which is at the middle school I attended—and am about to go to my best friend’s house to watch an episode of our favorite show!

I also requested a student perspective! So here is her response!

Middle School Life-HC

So, basicly hears how it is, middle school is like a sea of fish, because in the mornings the busses arrive at the school. Then, the busses unload with a crowd of people trying to fit into the doors either getting breakfist or going to the jim. Theres also other people rushing to line up at the red zone doors to buy junk food. You know, elementary was never this crowded, anyway i’m getting sitracked, back to the point, in the morning when your dismissed from Jim, theres so many peeps in the halway its unreal. If your not carful and not paying attention youll 1: get nocked over 2: nock over somone else, then after dismissal you go to class, long boring classes. 50 minutes each. You try staying still and listening to someone talk smartypants on you. For 50 minutes strait. The only good thing about school is the food, lunchtime has all of my favorite things, but be careful not to be a ring barrier and tell others wat you hear. Not only is it bad for your reputation but you get a hole bunch of other drama started! Then comes the end of the day. Thats my favorite part of the day going home, but then it starts all over! Again and again and again until high school, but thats a whole other paper to write!!!

It’s real friends! Have a great week!

My students had the opportunity this week to visit with a nonprofit organization at their facility. For this experience, I placed students in groups based upon their interests. Once at the facility, students worked together within their group to make a decision and create a solution for a given problem.

The groups that students were organized into were known as communities. So each “community” had their own issue that was presented by “city council” (members from our own community). These issues were anywhere from: should we place an age limit on energy drinks, what should we do as a community to help the growing vaping epidemic, to creating a digital footprint and cyber bullying.

For middle school students, these topics were very near to their heart. The topic that really made my students stop in their tracks was the idea of a digital footprint. Growing up in the 90’s and the early 2000’s, the idea of a digital footprint has come second nature. I have always been conscience of what I have researched and posted. Even in the days of MySpace! My students, however, have been told that items can be found, but I do not believe that they really understood the idea and the lasting effect of posts, snaps, and searches until this day.

This group in particular was given the task from the council to look into an app that would be mandatory for parents to place on their child’s phone to track the child’s digital footprint. This would allow parents to be aware of searches and posts that are made to help the child’s online presence to be more positive.

While students were not in favor of the app, they were very curious about this topic. Students became concerned that colleges and future employers can track searches, posts, and snaps. They began to research ways to prevent these searches. While “going incognito” was an option, students decided that the best option was to be aware of your online presence.

This made me think about my own online presence and that of professionals. If we are to be role models for the next generation, not only do we need to be aware of our physical presence, but also our online presence. As teachers, we need to realize that we are in a profession that is so different than others. We are on the clock 24/7/365. We have to constantly be aware of our actions.

I have the opportunity to live in the district that I teach. I shop at the same grocery stores my students and parents shop. I eat at the same restaurants. There isn’t a weekend that goes by where I am not recognized as a teacher. And while that is such a great, wonderful feeling, it is also tough at times. To know that I am a professional 100% of the time and cannot “let my hair down and party with the girls” can be daunting. We all have days where after work we want to let loose and vent about a bad day. As professionals, we cannot do this in public and expect to NOT be called out on it. Someone is always watching and listening. Pictures will be taken and posted on social media. Cruel things will be said (especially if you are recognized and associated with a specific school-even wearing school colors!). We need to be aware of WHERE these venting sessions take place and HOW they take place.

We, as professionals, also need to be aware of items that we search. ESPECIALLY on district technology. There is nothing worse than looking up a video in front of students and there is an ad for Victoria’s Secret on. Or other inappropriate material. This is another reason to always preview content and really plan lessons.

To end this post on a short note, I want to share advice that I was given as a first year teacher. “Anything on social media can be put on the front page of the news paper. If you do not want that post/picture/content on the front page with your name attached, don’t put it on social media.” Always remember that as a teacher, you are always being watched. Make your actions something that you would want your own child to see and follow. My middle school students are beginning to figure this out, as adults, it is our responsibility to nurture students’ digital reputation and, really, our own as well.

Check out this video from commonsense.org that my students stumbled upon during their research that really made them reconsider their own digital presence! https://www.commonsense.org/education/videos/digital-footprint

Middle School is awkward. Kids are awkward. Teachers are in turn awkward, maybe intentionally but mostly not.

As I think about when I was a middle school student, I think back to all of the weird things that I had done or seen at school. Sumo wrestling with the band teacher, pushing a friend out of a window (on the first floor), being dared to stand up in a quiet classroom and sing “I wish I were an Oscar Meyer Weiner”. I’ve done all of these things. I was a weird, awkward middle school student.

As a middle school teacher, I have accepted that I am an awkward teacher. I have made peace with it. I have embraced it. Maybe this is why those awkward students gravitate towards me?

I have the privilege to teach in the same middle school I attended as a student. It is a very surreal experience. Every day I am reminded of some of the wacky things I did as a student by the actions of a current student. And I can’t help but tell them that these will be the best years yet!

I met my best friend in middle school (the one I pushed out of a window?). We are still best friends 20 years later. I learned who I was and who I wanted to become in middle school. I had wonderful role models, and then there were the ones I knew I never wanted to be like.

As a teacher of middle school students, the title remains true. The best things in life happen in the middle school classroom. I shared last week about the day I wanted to quit teaching for good. I shared this experience with my students this week as we are learning about failing forward and never giving up on a goal or a dream. When I told them that I had hit my breaking point they all looked at me with sorrow in their eyes and said “If you quit, who will be there for me when I need someone?” That was then followed by another student: “Yo! I got you! I’ll come and talk with those kids and they won’t EVER treat you like that again! You’re my school momma and ain’t nobody gonna disrespect you!” My response to that was “Honey, I appreciate that you have my back, but we need to work on that grammar of yours.”

That day, after I shared my story of failing with just 15 students, I was showered with notes of love and kind words, hugs, and multiple “I love you” from students. These are the days that make everything worth it. To know that my students care so deeply about me because they KNOW I care so deeply about them. They never cease to show that they care. These are the best things in life. They happen right in the middle school classroom. Now, you are probably saying that this happens elsewhere too. And you are correct. But… in middle school where students are awkward and they know that you embrace that awkward and help them to appreciate the awkward in others, there are not any other words to describe it other than: “The best things in life happen in the middle school classroom.”

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!)