My little cousin was born 12 years ago on Leap Day under emergency circumstances.. She had to undergo surgery to remove a tumor as soon as she was born. I was obsessed with her. I was in college, and I’d go as often as they’d allow me in to visit. She was my reason for taking the elevator despite having a phobia, and I did it gladly. (Admittedly, I’ve regressed, but anyway…)
She had a birthday party sleepover with friends, and I just had to crash, but don’t worry, I didn’t arrive empty-handed!
HIGHLIGHTS
• I showed up with tons of crazy donuts
• I soaked up 6th grade chisme (gossip)
• By the end of my visit, one of the little girls had me a sign a contract-looking note promising that I’d be her cousin for the “rest of life”
• They guessed my age as 21 (nobody needs to know they were 11 years off HAHA)
TAKEAWAYS
• It sounds HARD to be a middle schooler 😦
• Self confidence at 12 is beautiful
• A crush can last from a few minutes to a few weeks (apparently, longer than that is comical…)
I’ve been teaching 10th grade for 10 years, and I’ve played with the idea of moving to middle school… It was an interesting experience. Any advice from my middle school friends out there?!
britt escribe 
This was clearly a welcome crash. There’s no-one who really understands teenagers, some people are just more comfortable with the mystery. You won’t know until you try whether you might enjoy teaching teenagers.
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I think the contract is the best part. How fun! Happy birthday to your cousin! I love how carefree this slice is, just like the mind of a 12 year old. Thanks for bringing a smile to my face on this dreary morning!
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I love this age! They are not yet hardened and wary teens pulling away, yet they have clear ideas and opinions that are both precious and wise. I had regular evenings with tween nieces as the much older “great” Auntie and I treasure those moments as some of the best!
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Omg I love this slice as much as I love middle school!!! Sixth grade definitely has a special place in my heart, and your donuts and chisme are on brand. That note!!!! Talk about the power of words. Will you be my cousin for life?
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Cousins for life!! 🤎🤎😜 She even got teary eyed after I signed it. SO ADORABLE.
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What I know about teaching Middle School students is that it takes a very special heart and person. I love the thought of you crashing this wonderful event and learning so much from the girls. Heartwarming and poignant post, Britt!
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You’re the “cool cousin,” that much is clear. Middle school is my sweet spot. Even as a substitute I’ll choose them over and over. I don’t know why. Maybe I stopped maturing at 13? You made me want donuts. Finally, isn’t the contract evidence enough that they are passionate when they feel —and they feel everything!
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Such a great title!
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What a fun time you and they had. As a middle school teacher, 40 years, I loved. The kids know everything, so they tell you, so your job is easy. The drama is high, The rewards are off the chart. I would not have wanted any other grade level.
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What a great birthday surprise! 🙂 I’ve taught 5th through 8th grade for my 29 years. I love this age and if you are up to the challenge of the start of puberty, hormones going crazy, emotions going nuts, hugs, pouting, tears, and all the other stuff that middle school brings, go for it! 🙂
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6th graders are the best part of teaching in middle school! They are the sweetest! Teaching middle school after teaching high school has been mostly fun for me, but every day is the slumber party energy amped up by a million!
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Really?! Aaahhh, so you experienced this exact transition? What’s your advice for making the switch??
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I taught high school for 14 years (including a lot of teaching honors and Advanced Placement classes), then online for 6, then got a middle school job teaching in the highly gifted program. It was the best job I have ever had, and I was also temporary as I was hired the day before inservice. Ultimately, the district parachuted a more experienced teacher into my position for the following year, over the objections of my principal. But I stayed in the district and in middle school. Before the pandemic, it was wonderful. Middle schoolers, especially 6th graders, are fun and funny and open and interesting. After the pandemic, middle school teaching has been substantially more difficult with a tremendous amount of behavioral and social problems, but it is finally settling down again. I keep getting moved between 6th and 8th grade, so I see the opposite ends of the middle school spectrum. I do love it, but middle schoolers are definitely weird and their own special category for teaching. They say and do the funniest things, and you really do spend a lot of time telling kids not to throw pencils at each other and to stop stealing their friends’ shoes from their feet. My best advice is to be open, be willing to seek advice from colleagues who have done middle school teaching forever, and know going in that classroom management in high school is entirely different than it is in middle school. (In my first middle school year, I was totally floored when we did team activities with our students and a teach said “one two three” and the kids all shouted “eyes on me” and got quiet. For a high school teacher, that was positively surreal!
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This is so informative and helpful!!! I’m screenshotting your response to read a few times more. THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!! Do you have a preference between 6th and 8th?
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Most of the time, I prefer 6th graders, because they are so open and themselves and still really kids (but don’t say that to their faces!). With 8th graders, though, I get to teach more challenging material and use a bit more of my brain, which is lovely. And 8th graders are fun and interesting in their own way too. For all I know, 7th grade might be the sweet spot, but I have never taught them!
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Oh, that is so precious! What a lucky cousin to have you, and yes, to middle school teaching. You have the energy for it. Seventh and eighth grades were some of my best teaching years. Those donuts look yummy!
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