Monday, March 5, 2012

Tales from Substitute Teaching

Would you go back to middle school or junior high?

No?

I didn't think so.

You see, since I embarked on this new journey and started a new career in education, I made it my small mission to teach at all the schools in the main school district in Des Moines. Why? I don't know. I guess because I like to check things off of lists and I wanted to see what it was like at all of those schools. Plus, you never know who you might meet and who will be a bridge later on, right? Doing this has really let me see what I like and don't like inside of different school buildings. It's been adventure and it may sound nerdy, but I love checking another school off my list of schools I have worked at.

In the year and a half of substitute teaching I have subbed at my high school several times, but haven't built up enough nerve to sub at my middle school. (I can't sub in elementary until I'm licensed for k-5)

This changed on Friday and I finally worked in my old middle school. Yes, I went back to middle school. I was equal parts nervous and excited. The school has changed A LOT since I was there, but even back then it was kind of rough. Today it is even rougher.

As soon as I walked in, my stomach turned to a ball of nerves and I kind of wanted to throw up.

I hated middle school. I was chubby, wore glasses, had crooked teeth and a bad perm. No, I am not exaggerating. Also? My best friend moved away after 6th grade so on top of being unfortunate looking, I was alone. Dramatic, much? I know.

In middle school, all I wanted was to be popular. Typical, right? I can still remember that feeling of knowing that that wasn't what really mattered in life, but still feeling like that's what I wanted so bad. I can remember in my English class there was this poster that said, "What's popular isn't always right; and what's right isn't always popular." I'm sure every school has that poster.

Looking back now at those people that were popular... Well, I'm glad I wasn't popular now. In middle school I just hadn't blossomed yet. Much like a lot of people in those years.

The day of subbing went okay. There wasn't anything that I wasn't already expecting. I broke up a fight before it became physical, I took some verbal assaults (one girl told me my sweater dress was too short - I was wearing leggings, don't worry), and another girl laughed at me when I said her name wrong. Yep, that's middle school. ;)

I don't miss being IN middle school one bit, but I'm glad I went back for the day.

What was your middle years like? Would going back be a nightmare for you, like it was me?

12 comments:

  1. "in middle school I hadn't blossomed yet" - such a good way to put it! I didn't truly "blossom" until my second year of college. I wish I could go back and tell my middle school and high school self to slow down and take it easy, the best was yet to come. I wanted SO bad to be popular back then. Looking at where the "popular" kids are now, I'm so glad I wasn't!

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  2. Well, I went to one school for K-12, so I don't really have distinctive memories of middle school since it wasn't a time of life accompanied with a new school... that said, I just hated school in general after 6th grade. I mean, I loved the learning aspect, but the social aspect was not good for me. I was not good at sports and in a small town, that meant you were not popular. I really did not make 'real' friends (besides my cousin) until I went to college. So I have no fond memories of my old school and I would HATE to return there!

    I think it's great that you can 'try' all these different schools! I think it will help to be familiar w/ them when you start looking for jobs!!

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  3. Middle school was terrible but I hated high school. I was the first to get accepted to college in November of my senior year and all I wanted to do was get the heck out. Kids are so mean!

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  4. Middle school was the worst 3 years of my life. I'm not sure I could handle being back on that campus because it was a really bad time for me. My parents had just divorced, my mom was depressed and not really "available" for me, and I felt so uncomfortable in my skin. I had my own circle of friends, I don't think I was as concerned with being popular... I just wanted to be noticed by my crushes! hehe. :)

    But I'm glad you were able to put all your past issues aside to sub there and make it through!

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  5. I still haven't blossomed yet.

    We only had a 7-12 grade school, but I guess middle is usually 6th, 7th and 8th? So for me it was one year of being top dog at my K-6 school and then two years of being unsure of myself. My school was so small though; we only had about 600 students total (7-12), so everyone knew everyone and you knew everyone's brothers and sisters and parents. There was still the need to be popular, but I didn't feel a horrible pressure from it. I got picked on, but that is what 12 and 13 yr olds do, right?

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  6. Ohhh middle school! Just....yeah. It's the ugly duckling stage of everyone's life and some just get through it more gracefully than others. And I totally remember that "I want to be popular even though it doesn't really matter" feeling too!

    P.S. I think middle school teachers are the bravest ones!

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  7. I enjoyed middle school for the most part. I went to a grade 5-6 school and loved 6th grade for the field trips, friends, having a few classes with different teachers for the first time, being on the honor roll, and started to develop a passion for art.

    After that I went on to a 6-8th grade school for 7/8th. Friends changed a lot but for the better, got involved in sport (basketball and cheerleading) etc. I didn't feel like I had to be popular since I got along with the "popular crowd" and had my own group of close friends. It just worked really well.

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  8. I'm totally with ya blog sistah! Middle school was so awkward....and if anyone doesn't agree, they are full of it. I would be a ball of nerves as well. And wait to have thick skin with the bratty comments! I could never cut it as a teacher....I have too much of a potty mouth. I'd get fired real quick!

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  9. Middle School definitely had it's ups and downs for me. But if I had to repeat either high school or middle school, I think I'd still go with middle school.

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  10. Oh man, not junior high.

    I would barely talk to girls. And when I did manage to do it... so not smooth.

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  11. I would not go back to the middle school I was in. I was sent to a private middle school and while I got a good education there, the social scene was NOT that great.

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  12. My mom is a middle school teacher and I dont know how she does it! She teaches at the middle school I went to with some of the same teachers that I had. My middle school experience wasnt too bad but I still wouldnt want to go back!

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