walk a mile in their shoes...

As I have posted earlier, I am teaching three, one-week Robotics classes this summer and right now I am in my final week. Well each week is a different age group and right now I have 24 ten year olds and 3 eleven year olds. All I can say is WOW!

I have said this on my blog before but I have always felt that education is the exception to the rule that "the grass is always greener on the other side" because every teach I have met can never understand why any other teach would want to teach another age group.

I have always felt that I was "born" to be a middle school teacher and after week I feel more resolute on this idea. I have no idea how in the world anybody would enjoy teaching 4th and 5th grade!!! It is driving me crazy in how these little ankle biters are so desperate for my approval and just how idiotic their questions are. That is the great thing about the "hormonally challenged" middle schooler - for the most part they do not care if you like them and are not shy about letting you know that.

I was surprised that it took as long as it did but I actually made one of these little kids cry today because I pointed out to him just how much of a bully he was being with the other kids. I was actually impressed that I did not tell him just to "suck it up and get your act together" - if I did I could just imagine him curled up in the fetal position under a table somewhere.

I think that every teacher should have to spend some time exposed to other grade levels because that way they will have an even greater appreciation of the one they are in.