A chat that offers middle school teachers a chance to have a collaborative discussion about a different topic each week. Our topics change from week to week, ranging from Common Core State Standards to Character Education. During the chat, participants exchanges ideas and resources. The chat group ranges in size each week from 10 to 50+ participants. Discussion can be general talking about instructional style or process to specific. Recently members of the chat group help each other create lessons.
Bridget Bryson, 6th grade ELA in Alpharatta, GA. My spirit animal is...I think a Jack Russell. Always optimistic, determined, a bit rugged and hard to calm down...oh, and noisy....but so much fun #mschat
Hello, #mschat! Ryan in MI, 6th Grade Social Studies. I call one of my students spirit animal. Does that count?
Check out The Middle Level Mind Podcast with this week’s guest, @mccoyderek! On iTunes (https://t.co/Ffb4aDCT4s) and on Spotify (https://t.co/9naGUigYru)!
A1 it was an accident. I had no desire to teach or coach MS but to get my first job I had to teach 2 sections of 7th grade social studies. The rat is history. Love MS so much #mschat
A1: In college at @CMUniversity I joined our @CMLACMU because I decided that I should probably join a club sometime before graduation. Little did I know that I would fall in love with middle school! (I had planned to be an elementary teacher!) #mschat
A1) I decided on the middle my Soph year at @IllinoisStateU while tutoring a 6th grader and reading with a 2nd grader. I connected so much more with the 6th grader, and was like, "Yes, You are who I want to teach" #mschat
A1- I really enjoy this age group. They’re old enough to understand sarcasm, they’re free thinkers, and I love the awkwardness. They just want to #belong and be loved on still even if they won’t admit it out loud #mschat
A1) My middle grades experience was awkward. And exciting. It was such a strange time for me, both wonderful and awful, and I felt drawn to the middle grades ever since I fell into teaching. #mschat
A1 As a second career teacher with many volunteer miles, there was no doubt. Only MS for me. My degree was elem/middle and I had to do 8 weeks of my year in 4th grade to get the dble certification. Such a relief to get back to 6th #mschat
A1: I was told by my former XC coach that I would make a good teacher. I had no direction so I listened. I was placed in a middle level class for pre-service teaching and fell in love. Haven’t looked back. #mschat
A1: I was an 11th & 12th grade English teacher and was feeling bored. 8th grade offered me the opportunity to grow & reach Ss at the perfect time #mschat
I really do enjoy their thinking, I like listening to their ideas. I always say if middle school Ss could solve the world's problems, we would all be better off! #mschat
Q1) This is my first year at the middle school level. I’ve spent the last 5 years in upper elementary, and definitely fell in love with the pre-teen age group. So, when an opportunity came to share my passion for technology with middle schoolers- I jumped! So happy! #mschat
A2 it’s the sweet spot, conversations are beginning to get deeper. Kids still love the corny jokes and traditions. They are searching for who they are and it is a blast to watch them discover their passions and explore #mschat
A2: I love that there’s ALWAYS something going on, and probably 85% of it are things I couldn’t have expected. The kids are random, wonderful, excited, passionate, weird, and I ❤️ them (and the people that teach them!) #mschat
A2: Ss hasn’t the middle are getting to the point where they are figuring out who they are as people. The prospect of being able to shape that drives me every day. #mschat
Q3) Pick one, fill in the blank question
A) Teaching middle school is like…
OR
B) SAT prep... Teaching middle school is to ___ as ___ is to ___
#mschat
Q2) What I love most about middle school is watching the Ss discover who they are as people and begin exploring interests. The relationships built at this age group are crucial! #mschat
A2: I love that middle schoolers are in the midst of becoming young adults. They want to have deep conversations about things that matter to them such as world hunger or climate change. But then they will also glady play math properties Simon Says to win a sticker. #mschat
A2: It’s still the time when kids have limited knowledge of the world, a time when they are developing their own values, and it can all be molded still. #mschat
A2: The atmosphere hands down. There’s always something going on: lots of energy, laughter, a little drama, and I absolutely love my coworkers. They’ve become family. #mschat
Q3) Pick one, fill in the blank question
A) Teaching middle school is like…
OR
B) SAT prep... Teaching middle school is to ___ as ___ is to ___
#mschat
A2: I love that my Ss are young enough to still be uncool and enjoy life but old enough to start to build a social consciousness and to decide who they are. Simply where the magic is #mschat
A3 Teaching middle school is like learning to drive a car. It’s the route to freedom and it requires you to learn to put all your skills together. #mschat
A3: Teaching middle school is like nothing else. Nothing can truly prepare you for it until you’re in it. It’s absolutely exhausting both physically and emotionally but man the rewards are incredible. #mschat
A3: is like puppies and kittens - a lot of movement, frequents needs, lots to gigle at, much to 'awwww over', and the occasional needle-sharp claw #mschat
A4: if we remake middle schools I would like No Grades just feedback. When Ss aren’t quantified by a subjected percentile that changes depending on the teacher- they start to focus on learning and growing and less on a score 💙 #mschat
A4: Remember that middle school is a unique and pivotal time. These kids can't be treated as big elementary kids or small high school kids. They are middle schoolers. #mschat
A5: My cardiologist says I have the best job and that I’m one of his happiest patients. We often wind up just talking about my job and almost forgetting the appointment! #mschat
A5: “You teach middle school? You’re a saint. I don’t have the patience for that.”
Nope. It’s not about being patient. It’s about understanding. I understand. #mschat
A4) More time for collaborative learning opportunities among peers in the classroom and in the community to apply curriculum standards in a real world setting #mschat
A5: People usually say "Really? Middle school?" I say that I love this age group & that they are a lot of fun. Never a dull moment in a middle school! / But as @pennybishop said this week, we need to flip the narrative to get others to see the awesomeness of middle school #mschat
A5: People almost always make a face of disgust or pity- and make a disparaging remark. I ALWAYS correct them and tell them that my Ss are amazing wonder kind people & that it is my honor and pleasure to be their teacher... and the best part is that I mean it #mschat
For me, the weird is part of the awesome! Ms kids are simultaneous fearless and afraid is standing out. Awkward and wonderful. The constant juxtaposition is so unique and wonderful. I ❤️ them! #mschat
Middle school is an awesome level to teach! You have the chance to connect and relate to them. We need AWESOME MS teachers because we need to continue the love for learning and being in school! #mschat
