What are some challenges when teaching at the middle school level?

Answer 1

Usually when you tell experienced teachers that you want to teach junior high, aka middle school, you will get a shocked response. In my experience most teachers with a few years under their belt feel that middle school is full of students with hormones and crazy behavior. This is true, however it is not as bad as they make it out to be. Yes, there is something about 7th graders that makes you want to pull your hair out some days. The main challenge in middle school is discipline. How you handle discipline affects every part of the classroom experience from your student's behavior and academic performance to your own job satisfaction and teaching effectiveness. It is important to establish the discipline rules and expectations from the very beginning. You can prevent a great deal of problems by being clear and consistent from day one. I cannot stress this enough. Plus, if your students see any sign of weakness they will take advantage of it. Give them an inch and they'll take a mile. You don't have to be mean or anything, just firm, consistent, and patient. There are many great things about teaching middle school. It is a joy to see the kids' faces light up when they understand something. So it's not all bad!