3 answers
Katie
Student
Brick, New Jersey
1
Question
Asked
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what is the most hardest part of teaching as a middle school teacher?
i'm in 12th grade and i was wondering if it was hard handling middle school kids. #teacher
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3 answers
Michelle Roth
Elementary School Teacher
6
Answers
Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada
Updated
Michelle’s Answer
I have taught intermediate students for over ten years and love it. There are definitely challenges.
For one, motivation for doing well academically can significantly drop as students become more focused on their social lives. It takes a lot of energy to get all of your students to participate as they become more self-conscious. You may have spent hours preparing a project that you think they will all love to find out "it sucks". The biggest tip is to not take things personally.
On the other hand, you are introducing this age group to a lot of exciting firsts such as their first dance, first locker, first trip away from home and first course selections for high school. It's an exciting time for self-discovery and you get to be a part of that. Some students may begin to self-identify as 2SLGBTQ and you will be there to support them as well as create a safe space.
Having a sense of humor will save your sanity. Personally, the key to surviving middle school is to keep the rules consistent. The students will respect you and know you will treat everyone equal. I have also found keeping your expectations high, sends a message to your students that they are worth it.
There is a bit less parent interaction teaching this age group and more accountability is given to the students for work completion. However using apps like Remind to keep parents in the loop is really helpful as well as having the students fill out their agendas each day.
There is definitely more marking in grades 7 and 8 than in any other grade in elementary school. On the other hand, in my school board, each student has a chromebook so that definitely helps by reducing paper and collecting assignments.
Overall, this is a really fun age group and they really appreciate your insight about life. They may act unimpressed, but you can make a huge impact in their lives as they try to discover who they are and what they want in the future.
For one, motivation for doing well academically can significantly drop as students become more focused on their social lives. It takes a lot of energy to get all of your students to participate as they become more self-conscious. You may have spent hours preparing a project that you think they will all love to find out "it sucks". The biggest tip is to not take things personally.
On the other hand, you are introducing this age group to a lot of exciting firsts such as their first dance, first locker, first trip away from home and first course selections for high school. It's an exciting time for self-discovery and you get to be a part of that. Some students may begin to self-identify as 2SLGBTQ and you will be there to support them as well as create a safe space.
Having a sense of humor will save your sanity. Personally, the key to surviving middle school is to keep the rules consistent. The students will respect you and know you will treat everyone equal. I have also found keeping your expectations high, sends a message to your students that they are worth it.
There is a bit less parent interaction teaching this age group and more accountability is given to the students for work completion. However using apps like Remind to keep parents in the loop is really helpful as well as having the students fill out their agendas each day.
There is definitely more marking in grades 7 and 8 than in any other grade in elementary school. On the other hand, in my school board, each student has a chromebook so that definitely helps by reducing paper and collecting assignments.
Overall, this is a really fun age group and they really appreciate your insight about life. They may act unimpressed, but you can make a huge impact in their lives as they try to discover who they are and what they want in the future.
Kim Igleheart
Career Counselor | Police Officer
1664
Answers
San Antonio, Texas
Updated
Kim’s Answer
Hi Katie,
When my Dad became a teacher, he thought he wanted to teach 5th grade. So, he got a fifth grade class. The next year he begged to be given an available fourth grade class. The principal's words were "But we NEED a MAN in fifth grade!"
I had tried to discourage my Dad from going into 5th grade. Why? Puberty. plain and simple. It starts in 5th grade, and continues throughout middle school. People's bodies are changing, they are being taken over by hormones, and they don't have a clue as to how to deal with it. By the time they reach high school, they realize they need to settle down and work on getting good grades if they are college-bound.
Is this an over-simplification? Of course. I hope you hear from a bunch of middle school teachers who loved their jobs! After all, those are some very impressionable years, and we need some good teachers there to guide them through it!
Kim
When my Dad became a teacher, he thought he wanted to teach 5th grade. So, he got a fifth grade class. The next year he begged to be given an available fourth grade class. The principal's words were "But we NEED a MAN in fifth grade!"
I had tried to discourage my Dad from going into 5th grade. Why? Puberty. plain and simple. It starts in 5th grade, and continues throughout middle school. People's bodies are changing, they are being taken over by hormones, and they don't have a clue as to how to deal with it. By the time they reach high school, they realize they need to settle down and work on getting good grades if they are college-bound.
Is this an over-simplification? Of course. I hope you hear from a bunch of middle school teachers who loved their jobs! After all, those are some very impressionable years, and we need some good teachers there to guide them through it!
Kim
Ksenia Belkina
Talent Development Specialist
5
Answers
New York, New York
Updated
Ksenia’s Answer
Hi Katie,
Great question! I believe teaching middle school students is a very challenging but rewarding experience. To me, the most difficult part of teaching was establishing authority but being someone your students trust at the same time. Teachers have to learn how to balance between being demanding and supportive which is not easy. Besides, teachers are humans and deep in their hearts they might favor someone because of their hard work, intelligence, etc but they can not allow this feeling influence their attitude and decision making process so again a teacher has to be very prone to biases.
Nonetheless, I believe that when teaching is calling, there are no obstacles that can stop someone from being a teacher :)
Great question! I believe teaching middle school students is a very challenging but rewarding experience. To me, the most difficult part of teaching was establishing authority but being someone your students trust at the same time. Teachers have to learn how to balance between being demanding and supportive which is not easy. Besides, teachers are humans and deep in their hearts they might favor someone because of their hard work, intelligence, etc but they can not allow this feeling influence their attitude and decision making process so again a teacher has to be very prone to biases.
Nonetheless, I believe that when teaching is calling, there are no obstacles that can stop someone from being a teacher :)