New school year concerns

Yes, it is only July 26th and school does not begin for another month, but we recently received in the mail our assignments for the school year. At my school, you are never quite sure what grade you will be teaching from year to year. It all depends on enrollment.

That being said, I am now one of the 7th and 8th grade Language Arts teachers. I'm hesitant with the position, not because I don't think I can handle the kids or the curriculum, but because it's BIG job. These kids need to be ready for high school when they leave me! The kids that I have in my classes are great kids. I have known them all for as long as I have been there (or since they started coming to the school). They are smart, sweet, outgoing...TEENAGERS! This is the scary part...LOTS OF DRAMA!

I am coming from the sweetest, most timid group of 5th graders to loud, outgoing, drama producing teenagers. My kids last year were so well behaved, maybe one or two behavior problems here and there, but these problems had simple solutions. I know, I am probably getting myself worked up over nothing. The students I am going to have this year will probably be great. I just hope I can live up to the standards that I need to in order to give them the skills and strategies they need to be successful in high school. SCARY!

I have been constantly thinking about how I am going to make my classroom middle school friendly, not too babyish, and cool. How I am going to change the way I do things like DOL (daily oral language), Writing class, homework standards, and expectations p

eriod. It's going to be a learning experience not only for the students, but also for me. So wish me luck as I embark on a new year with new memories and students!