All the time I get asked- "Junior high? How can you teach that age??" My answer- I like them. Usually that gets me some quizzical looks and sometimes a "yeah, I mean I like kids too but I still couldn't be with that many junior high kids all at once!" I get it, I really do. Junior high kids are crazy, loud, rambunctious, hormonal, stinky (until I give them the deodorant and "shower is not a rinse only cycle" speech) and run all over the spectrum in terms of maturity. And that is why I love them.
Junior high kids are crazy. That works because most days I am crazy too. I come into school most days after a completely hectic morning of screaming at my three kids to eat breakfast/get dressed/brush their teeth/get their backpacks and DON'T YOU DARE MISS THE BUS AGAIN! My kids have gotten more police escorts to school (lucky for them their dad is one of Iowa City's finest) than you would believe. I sincerely hope their comfort level in the backseat of a squad car does not come back to haunt them later in life...... But I can show up a little frazzled, a lot stressed and usually downing alternate shots of double espresso and green tea (to soothe my hoarse voice from the chaotic morning rituals at home) and really not be out of place. My students love hearing about my insane mornings and if I can throw a naughty kid story in for good measure it really starts the day off well! The thing is- I don't even think twice about sharing these kinds of stories with my students. Developing relationships has always been a strong part of my personality and I love having those trusting and comfortable relationships with my students. I also believe that coming in and sharing puts them at ease. So many of them not only have incredibly chaotic mornings, but pretty stressful lives in general for any variety of reasons. I get it. I get that they are stressed. I get that some have not eaten breakfast. I get that some are not ready to learn yet but need a minute or so to change gears. I get that some are tired and didn't get to bed early. I get that some got yelled at all morning. I get that some forgot their homework or it got lost or their baby sister ate it- whatever. The point is that I get it. And I believe I get it because I am confident enough- and just crazy enough to open my world a bit to them.
Junior high kids are loud and rambunctious. Um... that is great! That is great because learning is active! Learning is energetic. Learning is fun and verbal and sometimes loud. If you walk by my classroom on any given you day you will hear us before you will see us. My kids are moving around the room sharing ideas, collaborating on assignments, debating controversial topics, creating platforms and solutions to in-depth current issues. Junior high kids have not given up on learning or creating. Junior high kids still love projects. Junior high kids have the energy to go full steam all period long in an intense debate on the Palestinian/Israeli conflict. Junior high kids will give you everything they have- if you like them. You have to like them to appreciate "loud and rambunctious" instead of looking at it as a burden.
Junior high kids are yes- hormonal, stinky and all over the place in terms of "maturity". Lucky for me I get to teach one section of personal development. This means health class. Which means- puberty. Some of you are now shuddering in horror and imaging how horrible that must be. However- and it might be the crazy in me- but I enjoy it. I love making them squirm. I love the look on the faces of those innocent bystanders who walk in with an office pass right in the middle of the "nocturnal emissions lesson" or the menstruation explanation complete with visual aids. But let's face it- the kids need the information and they need to get it in an informed and comfortable manner. So if I can deliver with some humor and "crazy" then that is what I will do. The added bonus is being able to haul off right in the beginning with the no nonsense hygiene talk directed to the class as a whole- "You stink. You might not know you stink and no you cannot smell yourself so stop sniffing your armpits, but the person next to you can smell you. You need to shower every morning and it is not a rinse only cycle and you need deodorant. If you do not have deodorant I will get it for you. End of discussion"- It serves the purpose, they are all terrified that they are the one I might be referring to so they listen well- my students smell fresh every day:)
I teach junior high because I like them. You absolutely cannot fake that kind of affection and survive teaching in that environment every day. The kids love being in my class and when people ask me why that is, I simply say "I like them".
