There’s just not enough time in the day.

How do I fit something else into my already busy schedule?

Let’s add just one more thing to my full plate.

Students are people too. They have highs and lows, things that scare them, and hopes and dreams just like anyone else. Part of teaching is having emotional intelligence. Figuring out what your students love, why they think the way they do, and what can motivate them is imperative to engaging them in the learning process. The danger is in pretending to care about what they care about. If you come off as insincere, students will sense this and shut you out. This can lead to disengagement with the class as a whole. Never say you love something if you don’t, but you can ask students why they love that thing. Ask sincere questions. Then use what you learn to guide your selection of stories, novels, activities, and more. Finding a personal connection to the content engages middle school learners.

Walk into any education conference and mention that you work with middle school students. You’re likely to experience a response akin to, “Oh, wow. I don’t know how you do it.” Whether paired with a pitying smile or a laugh, the meaning is the same: you must be a glutton for punishment to want to work with middle schoolers!

Learning from the Past to Guide Your Future

After completing the World of Genres’ lands of the Past and Present, some questions arose: How would the Land of the Future look? How could we continue helping the students make connections across texts while keeping it fresh and engaging? These were the main questions that drove the Spanish team during the development of the Land of the Future.