Why I teach Middle School
I have been asked, "Why do you want to teach middle school?" My answer has always been, "I feel as though I can relate to that age group better than other grade levels."
I had a tough time in 7th grade. So much so that my mom still refers to those years as the "dark years." When I think back to that time, I realize that I did not have a relationship with any of my teachers where I would've felt comfortable talking to any of them about what I was going through. If I ever became a teacher, I would work to have genuine relationships with my students.
In my first year teaching full-time, I taught fifth and sixth-grade ELA. One of my fifth graders was named "Mikey." Mikey had a tough time regulating his emotions. He would often get extremely frustrated when he did not understand something. He'd usually have to leave my classroom to process his feelings. I began to read the signs that would lead to him being frustrated and would attempt to intervene before he'd spiral. Occasionally, it worked, but there was still a lot of work to be done. I tried to develop an informal relationship; I came up with a nickname for "Mikey." I ensured he was ok with it first, and once I got approval, I'd greet him with his nickname every time I saw him. This would bring a smile to his face.
Last year, I taught "Money Mike" in 6th grade ELA. He rarely has emotional breakdowns in my class; if I see one coming, I can usually talk him through it. He speaks to me outside of class, usually in the hallway. We always greet each other in passing. I typically say in a booming voice, "Money Mike" is in the building, and he always says, hi, Mr. Charles. But the smile on his face lets me know that we are cool.
"Money Mike" is now in 7th grade, and I stayed in 6th grade. We might not see each other in class like before, but we talk during recess and in the hallway outside my classroom. He tells me about his weekend and his interests. I am most proud that our conversations take time. He can be a little chatty, which I don't mind. One day, "Money Mike," said he had something for me. It was an invite to his Bar Mitzvah. At that moment, I knew I would do whatever I needed to ensure I could attend. A couple of days later, his dad reached out to me to invite me, not knowing Mikey had already asked me. His father said that I and others at the school had poured into his son's life and that we were a significant part of his transformation at school. I told Mikey's dad, "I felt honored to be asked and would be there."
After the ceremony, I saw "Money Mike" making his rounds and speaking with everyone who had attended. I thought to myself, look how much he's grown. He wouldn't have been talking to so many people when he was in 5th grade. Eventually, he made his way to me. I thanked him for inviting me and how proud I was of him, acknowledged all the growth I have seen, and that he did a great job with his Bar Mitzvah. He didn't say much, but the smile I got from him said everything. It was all that I needed.
