Authored by Kari East
Traveling is my jam! Anytime, anywhere. Weekend getaway to the Florida coast – check. Three week vacation exploring the Greek Isles – check. Day trip to the Mississippi Delta to check out a cool dive bar – check. There’s something genuinely special about immersing yourself in a new place. I love everything about it: learning about differing cultural norms, the language barrier, culinary diversity, the opportunity to self reflect, the list goes on. But, I also understand that not everyone is big on traveling and that’s ok too. Because, you don’t have to travel far to experience these things….
Welcome to the Middle School where the attitudes are spiraling and the hormones are raging. Buckle up because it’s a wild ride! Here you can experience all of the amazing things travel has to offer without ever leaving the comfort of the St. Andrew’s Upper School grounds.
- Interesting social norms – Individuality does not exist – everyone is the same. And parents? Noone has parents! Lord forbid someone’s mom comes to the school and acknowledges their child – NOT acceptable.
- New hip lingo – If I had to guess, I’d say I spend around 10% of my time trying to figure out what my students are actually saying. My vocabulary has expanded exponentially thanks to all the cool new words my students have thrown at me. I’m working really hard to make my classroom fire so I don’t get ghosted by my students that need extra support. I can get pretty salty when they leave me hangn’.
- Dietary Standards – A comprehensive middle school diet must include endless amounts of carbohydrates, sugars, and artificial dyes and sweeteners. These staples are essential to help keep kids unfocused, drowsy, and never fully satiated. Are you really a middle schooler if you’ve never experienced a sugar high and then the inevitable crash?!
- Responsibility and Self Reflection – A middle schooler is never wrong. Ever. Just ask them. They know everything about everything. It becomes a lot easier to work with your students when you accept this fact.
Unfortunately, middle school doesn’t come with a travel guide and the journey can be quite difficult but it sure is rewarding! I’ve come to really love working with this age group and all they have to offer. Their attitudes are big but their hearts are even bigger.