Week 13

I had wondered this week what I would write about, and thankfully, Neal has given me some questions to think about. First, I could go on and on about what I have learned from middle school. Most importantly, I have learned that this is an age-group that I could teach. I have never pictured myself teaching middle school because I had always envisioned myself as an elementary teacher. I thought that middle school kids would be so disrespectful and older than I would want to teach, but I have grown to realize that these preteens are still children! They still love to learn when the learning is fun and relevant to them. It may take a little more to motivate these students, but they are worth it. Similarly, middle school students still love to play review games and participate in hands-on activities. I thought that I would miss doing the "cutsy" activities that would normally be used in the elementary grades, but middle school students are just as hungry for them.

Second, I feel that I am the best at engaging in conversation with the students and making them feel comfortable around me. I have carried on conversations with all of the students that I have, and I feel that they are comfortable enough around me to talk to me as both a friend and a teacher. I think that this trait has helped me to build relationships with the students.

Finally, I know that I have a lot that I can improve on with teaching middle school. The first of which would to be more assertive in the classroom. I know that I can be more stern with the students and should cut off the talking a little bit more. This will definitely be an area that I will work on if I decide to teach middle school. I am glad that I now have another option for when I start my job hunt!