Tag: Middle School English Teacher

Posted in Mental Health

Uh, Hello. Again.

Posted on by babbles&brains
My work-from-home setup and my coworker, Juvia.

I’ve been having weekly panic attacks and am enjoying Animal Crossing New Horizons. Not related, unless its hunting for tarantulas.

I’ve been doing my best to take care of myself during this time. I’m really sad that our school buildings are closed for the rest of the school year, but I’ve been trying to meet with my students on Google Hangouts Meet just to see their faces and see if they’re doing okay (I’m skeptical about Zoom at the moment). I hate not being able to control things like going to work everyday and seeing my students, and not knowing what the future will look like. I hate the fact that our kids are being set behind in many ways, and I’m worried about how next school year will be.

When I was my students’ age, school saved my life. My education was a place of safety and something I had ownership of when I felt I had nothing and no control at home. I feel for my kids who find school to be a safe haven and are now stuck in situations they can’t get relief from.

I’ve been crying a lot. Panic attacks from feeling out of control of things, as well as hurting for students that might be hurting during this time, negative pregnancy tests… my brain likes to think I am a failure first.

It’s times like these where it is easy to feel defeated and powerless. However, brain, I am stronger and more powerful during these times. I care so much, and I can do things nobody thinks are possible because I care and do what it takes. I don’t give up when it comes to those I care deeply for.

I’ve been assigning enrichment activities that bring a little bit of brightness for my students. My 9th graders are making skits recreating the story of Pyramus and Thisbe (the OG Romeo & Juliet story). I’m excited to see how their one-man shows will turn out. My 8th graders are reviewing the Civil War through historic literature and speeches. My 7th graders are writing about a person who changed their life. For whoever can do them, it’s something to do. It’s something for me to do to show how much I care. It matters.

The best news to come out of this time is no state testing this school year. Though some funding may be tied to state testing, our kids don’t need that added stress in normal times, and we don’t need less time to teach them about things that truly matter, like relationships.

All this to say, I’ve been absent from writing because I have been working through anxiety and prepping for distant learning, and connecting with my best friend through Animal Crossing.

Readers, how are you really doing? Are you alright? If not, I hope you will be soon. Please wash your hands. Sanitize your devices. Practice self-compassion.

Talk to you soon,

Babbles&brains

Posted in Bullet Journaling

Bullet Jour-NAILING it. Or not.

Posted on by babbles&brains

I started bullet journaling a couple of years ago. Mostly because planners always lose my interest after the first month or two. Doesn’t matter how cute they are or what stickers they come with, I lose motivation to keep track of things I needed done with regular planners. Then, my best friend started talking about trying bullet journaling. Then a fellow colleague told me they were going to start trying it. So of course I got interested. I started research.

Side note: I research things to death. I’ll babble about that another time.

Anyways, I realized that bullet journaling was a pretty useful tool for me to be more creative whenever my creative muscle needs to flex. I could change things up each month, make my own themes and colors, get real simple and quick during my busiest times and still interact with my bullet journal as much or as little as I want to. It’s perfect for my Type-B brain that needs to perform in Type-A mode to keep my anxiety in check.

I failed a lot along the way with bullet journaling. I hate habit tracking and almost never do it because if I can’t be perfect and fill in all the little stupid squares in the month, then the overachiever in me feels like I accomplished nothing. Sometimes I would make an entire month of weeklies and not touch my bullet journal for three weeks after because I was just surviving, and the overachiever in me felt like I failed at organizing.

However, the fact that I put effort into my own planner even if I didn’t touch it those weeks or use my annoying habit trackers made me feel like I interacted with the process of organizing. It works for me even when I don’t work on it because creative outlets are necessary for my survival.

This is all to say that I bullet journal. I do it my way. Sometimes it’s intricate, sometimes it’s just stickers and washi tape, but it’s my whole life of teaching and schooling and living in one little book. If I don’t take the thing with me everywhere I feel naked and lost. This month already has felt strange because I forgot to even set up my first week of March so I’m already feeling behind and rushed. Here’s some pictures of what I have right now that are also on my new bullet journal insta @babblesandbrainsbujo. I’ll probably be better next week because I’m trying really hard to be the writer I want to be and time management is key for my success here. I’m not planning to create the perfect curated bullet journal insta that has everyone swooning with the perfect pictures with the cute pens and stationery accessories scattered around it. My aesthetic is hot mess. It’s going to be just me doing what I do, showing that it is possible to be all over the place but still getting it together with a little bit of creative planning.

Until next time,

Babbles&brains

Posted in Teaching & Education

Being a Middle School Teacher

Posted on by babbles&brains 
"That must be so difficult!" 
"I'll pray for you."
"I could never!"
"You must be a saint!" 
"I'm so sorry!" 
"Wait, you chose to teach middle school?!"

When people ask me about my profession, these phrases most often follow my reply. I sort of get that they’re trying to tell me my job is important. However, it also sounds like middle school kids are the absolute worst people in the universe.

Unpopular opinion: I don’t actually like when people say these things about my job, about my students. What, because they’re developing critical thinking skills and asking questions about their world and their truth they’re terrible? Are they presumed to be awful because they know how to post Tiktoks and keep streaks on Snapchat? I don’t agree with vilifying tweenagers. In fact, I am actually really lucky to be teaching middle school.

Here’s what is true about my students:
You can actually talk to them. Because seventh and eighth graders are older and developing critical thinking skills, we have many conversations about real-world experiences: how to vote, economics and taxes, health and well-being, family struggles, et cetera. They are curious about these things, and they want to practice having conversations with people about these things because they already know they will have to face these conversations as adults. Treating them as if you wouldn’t want to voluntarily go near them is actually harmful to their critical thinking skills and emotional state. I’m so lucky I have a group of students who want to have real conversations with me. I’m so lucky I don’t have to teach kids who don’t really understand what adulthood might be yet.

They are still adorable. Probably not in the same way as a roly-poly cuddly toddler, but they can still be just the cutest things ever. Examples: An eighth-grader yelling at someone to get tissues right away because they saw a seventh grader crying under a table outside, catching a seventh grader who hates reading completely engrossed in a book you recommended, a wiggly tween bouncing around on a yoga ball while intensely working at their desk, and watching all of these kids from different backgrounds actually caring about each other and becoming true friends. I’m lucky I get to witness how cute they are and be a part of their formative years.

They aren’t evil. Sure, I get some days of attitude and exaggerated drama. I get tattle-tales and sidekicks (those who decide to like to say “Yeah, Mrs. Huft said _____” after I correct a student). They’re still young, and they are learning how to socialize. They’re learning how to process their emotions. They’re learning how to create lasting bonds. I’ve got two students who I would have never imagined being the sweetest and hardworking students ever calling me “mom” because even though they put up their hard walls with attitude, I didn’t back down and cared instead. How could someone say “I’m sorry” that I teach middle school when they are all learning how to be loving and kind? I am so lucky that I get to teach students right at the age where they are trying to figure out who they truly want to be and help them get there.

My job is awesome. I love my students.

Until next time,
Babbles&brains