Introduction to This Blog

Middle School Students are an unbelievably finicky group of people. I have been a teacher for 13 years and counting. Nine of my years was spent as an elementary teacher in a fifth grade inclusion classroom. The last few years I have been in a middle school teaching Language Arts to sixth and eighth graders. This is challenging for numerous reason. The first of which is that middle school aged children change their mind like the wind. During first term I read Hunger Games with my students, We only got about half way through and the students said this is boring why can't we pick our own books. I did some research and decided that teens need to take ownership of their reading in order to be motivated to read. I let the students choose. You can finish reading Hunger Games or you can choose your own book for the new term. Well, all but one student chose another book. Today students are reading independently and I am giving many reminders to read to numerous students. All of a sudden three girls are saying I would rather read the rest of Hunger Games then finish this book. I wanted to slap them. ( I wouldn't of course.) However, I said a little prayer asking for an extra amount of patience. Then I did say, " I told you so!" because when they all switched originally I told them when the movie comes out in March you will want to finish reading the book.

Teaching eight graders is never a dull moment.