“Young adolescents are in a real serious life transition, and they bring the ups and downs of that to every teacher they meet. If teachers see those ups and downs as a problem or inconvenience, middle school teaching can be very frustrating.”

“On the other hand, if you see what young adolescents bring to your classroom as a promise, rather than a problem, middle school teaching can be one of the most exciting and satisfying things you will ever do.”

What are they like?

• They eat all the time
• Their music is too loud
• They take social issues very seriously
• They frequently exclaim, “You don’t understand.”
• They cry a lot
• They laugh a lot
• They’re sure that nobody has ever felt what they are feeling
• They like hanging out at home and being with their parents
• They hate hanging out at home and being with their parents
• They have difficulty focusing on something for more than a minute at a time
• They will spend hours texting or playing electronic games
• They care passionately about the world, and what to save everyone in it
• They are plagued by acne
• They are seldom satisfied by the way they look
• They’re loyal to their friends
• They talk behind their friend’s backs
• They outgrow their clothes every few months
• They want to be independent
• They don’t want to let go of their childhood

Adolescent Behaviors You’ll Frequently Encounter:

• Ask personal questions about your life and family
• Question the way you dress
• Surprise you with their sophisticated questions that demonstrate their deep concerns about the world
• Wonder about what type of car you drive
• Ask about how much money you make
• Swear at you occasionally
• Ask if you’ve considered plastic surgery or a makeover
• Act completely socially inappropriate on occasion, yet surprise you with their social graces at other times
• Experiment with their personality
• Fall in love and out of love weekly
• Pass notes
• Text message one another during class
• Act emotionally out of control one day and completely mature the next
• Completely depend on you some days but not act totally independent on others.

Students Reported That Caring Teachers:

• Walked around the room talking to everybody to see how they were doing and answering their questions
• Helped students with schoolwork
• Noticed and inquired about changes in their behavior
• Recognized different learning styles and needs
• Sought to know students as unique human beings
• Showed respect for students through actions such as “talking in a quiet voice or talking to you in private or alone.”
• Did a good job of explaining the content area, making sure that all students understand
• Encouraged students to improve