The most common response when I tell people that I am a middle school math teacher is, “Bless your heart.” Honestly, my heart is blessed by being with this crazy adolescent age group. I am reminded daily of how far simply sharing a kind word can go, how addressing someone by their name really does matter, and how important it is to be silly.
Here is my list of the top 10 things I have learned from being in middle school:
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Reducing screen time helps solve a lot of problems.
As teachers we see how distracted the kids are by computer games and all the social media apps. Sometimes I forget that I am distracted by my phone as well and think because I am an adult “I can handle it.” The truth is I need to limit my screen time too and be intentional about being fully present. Two weeks ago I turned my phone off from 8:00am – 8:00pm on a school day. (I had it with me while I was driving in case of emergency). Having my phone off somehow released me from wondering about what I might be missing on various group chats. I was able to fully focus on what was in front of me and it was truly peaceful.
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Kindness Calms.
Kindness not only calms the one who is responding to a situation with kindness, it also calms the person who is on the receiving end.
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Community Matters.
A lot of the issues that students face in middle school are somehow related to their friends. A good friend group makes a world of difference — it makes you feel safe, seen, and heard. Throughout the process of preparing for the World Race I have been overwhelmed with gratitude for my own community of family and friends that are sending me out. I would not be able to do this without you.
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Sleep is vital.
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Everyone wants a chance to be heard.
On Fridays I host “Fill me in Friday” where the students send me a quick email telling me the good and the bad of their week/what they are looking forward to over the weekend. I am honored by the fact that they are willing to share. It is also a tangible reminder of what my brother told me before leaving for training camp, “Everyone worries about being interesting, just be interested and you will make good friends.”
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It’s good to be silly.
Laugh at yourself — it is good for the soul.
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Encouragement goes a long way in maintaining/increasing productivity.
Middle schoolers are quick to follow expectations when they are encouraged along the way. If they need to complete 10 math problems quietly in 20 minutes they may get 5 of them done without encouragement — as soon as I walk around and start putting checks on their papers next to the correct answers both engagement and accuracy increase. It really is the little things that matter!
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Play time is important.
On the days we don’t have recess we are all a little antsier. We need to get up and move around.
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There is a lot to learn from reading.
Currently we are doing book clubs in Language Arts on Social Issues. As we read through various novels we are looking for the positive and negative impacts of relationships on the characters. We are having amazing discussions on what relationships look like in our own lives and how we can be better friends, sons/daughters, students, brothers/sisters based on what we are reading.
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Have a growth mindset.
There is always room for improvement. Just because I haven’t met a goal yet doesn’t mean I won’t eventually. Everyone learns, grows, and finds success at a different pace.
As the countdown to launch is less than a month away I am reminded to cherish the moments I have with my family, friends, co-workers, and students more. We are not promised more than the day we are living in right now. There are definitely days when I am exhausted and my patience has been tested to its limit, don’t get me wrong. But being with middle schoolers is the sweetest challenging job. I am going to miss these crazy, wild kiddos.
