Middle School Teacher Career Information

Video Transcript

"In general one of the biggest tips that I would like to give you about becoming a middle school teacher would be that possibly, even before your student teaching, visit a middle school and the subject that you would like to teach. See how those teachers are doing it and decide, is this really what I want. And then to spend as much time, even volunteering maybe being an instructional assistant at a school, a middle school maybe to get just a feel for what teaching is all about in that area. My biggest personal challenge in becoming a middle school teacher or just a teacher in general was I was kind of shy. I didn't like being up in front of people and sometimes I get very quiet. But once you get started and you're up there talking in front of the students, it becomes really easy, second nature, and at this point in my life I can talk in front of any group of kids or young adults or anything. Talking to adults might be a little bit different but it's easy to talk to the students once you get going. You just feel comfortable and it comes no matter how nervous you are at first. Don't be afraid to be who you are. Try new things as you're teaching. They may not always work but you always go back and modify them and if you need to you, you can reteach. Try to be as fun and as enthusiastic as you can so that the students will relate. Be sure to get them to focus so that they're following. Train them in good habits like that in your classroom first and your successes will be enormous if you're able to do that."