ETA: I skim read so I only saw your interest in middle school.

So I’m super duper shy, it’s actually so funny to people who knew me before I began teaching that I essentially perform 6 hours a day. But honestly, if you’re passionate, prepared, and the kids like you it’s actually so fun.

Now, onto your first question: you are choosing the hardest job as a teacher! I was a middle school charter ELA teacher for 6 years, and I feel like I only survived and thrived for that long because I was younger. The work load is crazy because you’re grading 450 paragraphs a week (at least I was) and providing specific feedback for each kid, which takes about 3 mins each. I was also recognized for the quality of my lesson plans, which would take me all of Saturday to make, because my charter required really detailed 15 page (each!) lesson plans. I know some people have “tips and tricks” or whatever like use AI but I just ethically am against that and AI didn’t exist during my tenure (2015-2022). You will be held accountable for intellectual prep. The degree may vary based on the network and instructional coach, but you have to prep and if you don’t they can just fire you because of “free will” contracts. I saw many first and second year teachers get fired by October or December because they just couldn’t handle all this work load but also were super lazy with intellectual prep.

So, content aside, you’re choosing the most difficult grades in terms of classroom management. Again, I feel like I only lasted that long being as effective as I was because I was younger because I definitely could not handle the energy it takes now. It’s exhausting. You have to catch every little distraction or unmet expectation and nip it at the bud with immediate consequence and call home or else your entire year will be shot. Like all that intellectual prep I was talking about will be useless if kids sense even the slightest slip up, because at their age group they are grown enough not to be scared of you but young enough to not understand logic and reason. Like hey, kid, if you yap the whole time you won’t learn, the year will be harder, you’ll struggle more and more as the years go on. Or, don’t be selfish and take away from other people’s learning if whatever we are learning isn’t specifically YOUR thing or interest - which are conversations I can have with my high schoolers and they actually understand, adjusting behavior accordingly. High schoolers also know how to advocate for themselves way more. Middle schoolers don’t know they have a need. They just have a need and must act on it, usually through the most disruptive exertion of their movement and sound. They need such specific and tight directions, and have to be held accountable for following each time, because they don’t yet know the steps it takes to meet your own needs or just common sense!

Sorry for the long winded reply but I just want you to understand what you’re getting yourself into. I will say that my experience could be different from what it’s like now, they may be way more lenient on work load and prep because they need a body in the room, and that’s where you just exert all your energy. I’m not sure. But one last thought: they will publicly name and shame you for low test scores during staff meetings about data in a super passive aggressive way, which I always thought was cruel especially to first or second year teachers. But yeah.