A Teacher’s Valentine’s Day Letter to Her Students
You’re at a difficult age, but you aren’t difficult to me
When people learn that I teach middle schoolers, the reactions are usually one of three:
- Oh, goodness, middle schoolers? You must be a saint.
- Hmm…it’s an interesting age, for sure.
- Dear lord, I could never. Are you waiting for a high school job to open up? Elementary?
Yes, 13 year olds can be difficult. They can be moody, rude, gossipy, and downright cruel on their worst days. However, they can also be funny, sweet, vulnerable, and authentic.
Coming back from any extended break or weekend, I greet my 8th graders the same way at the beginning of each class: “Welcome back everyone! I hope you had a restful break. It is great to see you all again!”
Time and time again, at least one student will pipe up (typically a boy) in some variety of “that’s cap” or “you’re lying” or “you don’t actually mean that.” Even middle schoolers buy into this idea that their age is the worst to be around, so how on Earth could I be glad to see them again?
The answer is easy. I love them. I love all of them, even the ones who call me “bruh” or roll their eyes at my jokes, the ones who never do a single assignment, and the ones whose helicopter parents email me every single day about why they didn’t earn full credit on whatever project.
