Teaching The Middle School Student

Teaching is a difficult job by itself, but teaching in middle school is not something that every person is called to do.

I know. I am a middle school teacher.

I’ve been a middle school teacher for over 20 years.

In those years, I’ve learned a lot about how to connect with the middle school student.

Middle school students are much different from your elementary student or your high school student.

Middle school students are going through a period in their lives where so many changes are taking place in their bodies and their minds that education just doesn’t take a high priority.

Let me make one thing clear before I continue. There is no way anyone should paint ALL middle school students with the same brush. There are some middle school students who are exceptions to the rule. They are confident, self-motivated, and know what they want to do with their lives. Based on my experience, however, the vast majority of middle school students are still looking to find themselves. They’re insecure, easily manipulated and looking for approval from their peers.

Because of this, teaching middle school students can be one of the most challenging occupations around. Middle school students have come to the point in their lives where they think they know more than the adults. They begin to question everything, including the teacher’s instructions, and they are easily distracted from doing school work.

This website will offer many tips, strategies and practical advice for those teachers of middle school students that will hopefully make your experience in middle school more enjoyable.

After teaching this age group for 20 years, I can honestly say that it’s been the most challenging AND the most rewarding part of my life.

Middle school students are looking for someone to point them in the right direction in life. You, the middle school teacher, have that amazing privilege and responsibility to have an impact on their lives that will determine their future.

They won’t remember you for it. They’ll thank everyone else in their life for their successes, buy you’ll know that in that time of their life when they were the most vulnerable, you were the one that kept them from going in the wrong direction with your encouraging words and engaging lessons.

Take a look around. Read some of the blog post where I’ll share some of what I’ve learned over the last two decades of being a middle school teacher.

Here are some articles I’ve written to get you started:

Who Am I – The Biggest Question of the Middle School Student

Success in Middle School Starts with Structure

Tell Me You Like Me – The Hidden Request of Middle School Students

 Getting Parents Involved in Homework Completion – A Homework Blog