So… you’re a first-time middle school ELA teacher. Welcome to the madness, I guess!
I’m kidding, but in all honesty, middle school isn’t quite like high school or elementary school. Middle school is its own unique level that you need to be prepared for as you get ready to run your classroom.
But before we get into that—congratulations!! You’re going to do great, especially if you take to heart the helpful advice I lay out in this article.
Great Advice for a First-Time Middle School ELA Teacher
1. Prepare to give LOTS of guidance—more than you think you’ll need to give.
I say this out of love, but middle schoolers need a LOT more explanation and figurative hand-holding than high-schoolers do. So if you’re used to teaching high school, this is especially important for you to remember.
Middle schoolers are at that age where they’re really … squirrelly. That might be the best way to describe it. Their bodies are changing, and their minds are developing, so you may find you need to break down every single step and every single piece of instruction.
(Even The Atlantic agrees with me … as if you needed more convincing.)
You also might find you need to repeat those instructions a LOT.
Take a deep breath if you get frustrated, and have a little grace on them … and on yourself. Middle school is a hard level to teach, but it’s also incredibly rewarding!!
2. In that same vein, make sure you give clear and easy-to-follow models for their assignments.
This will prevent them from turning in papers that make absolutely no sense. (You don’t want that, trust me lol!!)
When you get a bunch of papers that have a million errors, you can’t even use those errors as teaching points to help them improve. It’s just overwhelming.
So make sure you have a model they can follow that takes any guessing out of how to craft the assignment.
3. Don’t assume they heard your directions the first time.
I know I said this before, but I can’t emphasize it enough: Repeat the instructions and the teaching points often.
Just because they say they remember what you said doesn’t mean they actually do. This is the age when they need to hear something over and over again for it to cement itself in their brain.
4. Be willing to have fun and even laugh at yourself.
Middle schoolers LOVE cracking jokes—especially at other people’s expense, unfortunately.
While I don’t condone making fun of other people or bullying, you have to be willing to lighten up a bit and poke fun at yourself every once in a while.
If you don’t, you might have a hard time connecting with your students and establishing those important relationships with them.
A lot of your students may enjoy talking with you and being personal—be open to this (with wisdom, of course). You have no idea what impact you could have on their lives, even as a first-time middle school ELA teacher!!
I’m not saying to try to wisecrack your way into being their best friend … but maybe just laugh at their jokes every so often and join in the fun. It’ll help a lot, I promise.
5. Be consistent. Period.
Like I said before, your students need repetition. That same need for repetition also fuels their need for consistency.
It’s hard to think through a ton of options at that age. Instead of forcing them to use their brain power on choosing from a bunch of options, funnel that energy into actual learning!!
This means being consistent in how you structure assignments, how you grade, and how you walk them through new material.
6. Use fun, engaging reading material to keep their attention.
Middle schoolers can love to read … if the material is interesting enough.
I encourage middle school ELA teachers to choose the kind of reading material that will interest their students. Books like The Giver can engage students with exciting plot twists while still offering avenues for great ELA lessons.
How to Have Confidence as a First-Time Middle School ELA Teacher
Above all, remember to be confident as you teach them. Your students can’t respect you until you first respect yourself.
YOU are the teacher. YOU are capable. YOU are the exact ELA teacher they need.
Now, all you need to do is truly believe that and then teach them. If you fail or struggle, keep pressing forward. Keep trying new strategies to engage them and help them understand.
I can’t promise you that it’ll be easy (sorry!!), but I CAN promise you that it can be incredibly rewarding. Just don’t give up.
By the way, if you’re looking for support as a first-time middle school ELA teacher, you may want to join my Facebook group, “Middle School ELA Teachers Community for Grades 6-7-8.” You’ll find a community of teachers who are trying to impact their students just like you are. 😊
Stop feeling like you have to choose between prepping for class and enjoying family time by clicking the button below to grab several weeks of free bell-to-bell lesson plans for 6th, 7th, and 8th grade.
