Teaching Middle School Science

I would say over half the people I encounter, outside of work, think there is something special (or wrong) about me.  I love my job and I teach eighth graders.  Often the response is along the lines of You do?  How can you stand them?  I remember what I was like.  I almost killed my daughter/son when they turned thirteen. ”

Even in college, when I came back from my 1st observation at the ‘tough’ junior high’  from other teacher candidates, a general air of distaste.  Statements like  “Well, if that was the only thing I guess I could teach junior high.   But what I really want is AP English (Biology, History whatever).  Or “weren’t you afraid?”  Afraid? No, I loved it, controlled chaos , energy barely chained. I was having a blast.  I followed the reading specialist as she helped teach a lesson in science.  When I showed up she had four groups going and the room seemed about to boil over, a very short person ran over to me and said “Wow, you very tall, I’m Levi, I like cars do you have a car?’  The teacher I was observing swept by gather up Levi and deposited him back to his group.  I had found my calling.  A five foot high silver haired grandmother was teaching, controlling behaviors, giving praise and feedback  What to someone else looked like chaos on the edge of eruption, were 13 year olds acting like 13 year olds and learning

  As I told my stories of girls who read only books about horses and quarterbacks who though they were the next John Elway and how great it was my Prof got a funny look and finally shook his head.  “Warner, I have bad news for you.  You are a middle School teacher”

And I am.  I just don’t fit any where else.  I will take obnoxious over apathetic any day.  My job is never boring when kids are around.  Frustrating, aggravating infuriating, sometimes, but not boring.  I often joke that on some days I am way over paid but other days they cannot pay me enough for what I have to do.  Although honestly the part that gets me is the external stuff, mandates, meetings, parents angry that I expect the rules to apply to all kids, testing, committees, the CDE,  any teacher has a similar list.

So I have a great job.  I left another career to be a teacher.  I laugh all the time at work.  I really enjoying talking with eighth graders,  ( most people were much better in middle school than the want to admit) I like the people I work with.  Most days I enjoy the thought of coming in to work.  The week before winter break, with heavy weather forecast, may not be the best time to talk about being a teacher, but there you are.  It is not for every one,  some people have other gifts.  Some cannot do what a middle school teacher must do, like keep a straight face and repprimand a student who has just said the funniest darn thing you every heard about the teacher down the hall or forgive the little snot who had been in your face the day before and act like it never happened.  But, just in case you wondered.  I can teach em because I like them.  I put up with the other stuff because what I do is important.  And sometimes I like a kid a lot more than they like themselves.

I believe in science.  I think that science is the best shot we have.  I think the smarted people in our society should go into science.  I believe every one in society needs to understand science.  I sometimes get them to late.  Someone has let them think that only scientistes can do science.  That science is hard, complicated or even boring.  Boring?  Read the Flinn Sciecne Catalog, it is a toy catalog.  They deserve better.  They deserve someone in first grade to teach them that science is fun and exciting and hard and complicated, but they can do it.  They need a system that allows them time to learn.  They need a society when being smart is at least as valuable as being attractive ( it is too much to hope for that it be more valued, I fear)

They deserve better.  I could make arguments about the US supremency is science and technology rsting on the shoulders of my 8th graders, and they would be valid.  I could talk about problems no one knows about that my students will have to solve, and be right.  But the simply fact is they deserve better.

 I cannot teach  elementary.  I make 6th graders cry, when I take roll.  I click with 8th graders, and this is where I feel I belong.  I keep doing what I can to balance building the spark and filling the brain.  I work with people i like who feel much the same as I do. 

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