Why Do I Teach Middle School?

I’ve been reading a lot of blogs lately written by former teachers. Former teachers who first chose this profession because they were idealistic and wanted to make a difference. Former teachers who now feel that our education system doesn’t work. As a middle school teacher, I have started to agree with them.

When I tell others what I do for a living (I teach middle school Language Arts/social studies), the usual response goes through a spectrum of “oh, bless your heart” to “oh dear.” Most adults know that this is the age that is the most challenging. Here our kids are growing exponentially quicker than they have since they were newborns. They are learning about their bodies, about the opposite sex, and that the world they live in and their parents are --dare I say it--not perfect. They are met with challenges of fitting in and being an individual at the same time. They are still between the elementary and high school stages where you are not sure they are ready for that movie even though it is rated PG-13. 

As an AIG teacher (Academically and intellectually gifted) I am met with similar challenges when it comes to educating my students. They learn at a faster rate than most and usually have been exposed to much more of the world and cultures. However,  there are times when we reach a topic in class that has inspired them to go out and learn more, but also involves crossing that boundary into age appropriateness. These past weeks, our social studies classes learned about the invisible children and Kony 2012. They had a guest speaker come in and talk to them and educate them that life in other parts of the world is much worse. Some were even inspired to join the march in Washington DC and give money to the cause. 

One student in particular went home and demanded (to her parents) that they take her to the march and help her to support this cause. The parents were upset. They went to the superintendent and the board of education. How dare we expose her child to the harshness of the world outside of the United States. She was so distraught over what was happening in Africa that she MUST do something and there was no way the “quench her thirst.”

But isn’t this what education is all about? Aren’t we, as educators, supposed to inspire students to stand up for the weak, to help when we can, to make them aware that the rest of the world is a different place? Aren’t we supposed to guide them to be aware of the leaders we choose, to introduce them to new ideas, to encourage them to make a difference?

I was recently planning a trip to China with my students. It is the same trip that I went on this past summer and one of the social studies teachers was planning it with me. But after this one parent got upset over this presentation, she is now afraid to even approach the school about our trip. I have chosen to plan it alone, because I will not be daunted. However, one parent--just one--has scared one teacher enough into not going that extra mile.

A friend of mine recently posted that her 5th grader was looking into private/charter schools because she was not getting challenged enough in her regular school. And I have to say, I support this kid for standing up for her education. Education--in it’s purest form--is messy. It is emotional. It is hands on and it is EXPERIENCE. 

So why did I choose middle school and STILL choose middle school? Because it is messy. Because I hope that one day I will inspire one kid to reach out beyond the fear and make a difference. Because one teacher did that for me and I am paying it forward.