I valued collegial time and that time often solved potential problems before they happened. Mentoring is a benefit to the profession and helps new, inexperienced teachers to find their way. Supportive administrators make the job less stressful, also.

Teaching is a career that works well for families given the days a teacher is at work, however, a teacher puts in more time than a typical day requires because of all that has to go home with you. Even during summers, teachers are constantly searching for material to enhance instruction for the future. If you do not much like kids and their parents, this is not the job for you. You need to have wisdom, tact, patience, and strength to continue on a successful path.

My route was circuitous; I did not complete my teaching degree until my three kids were in middle school. It is never too late to complete your education, in fact, it has benefits. My maturity and experience as a mother made running a classroom rather easy.

My advice to someone teaching in a middle school setting is to be aware of what middle schoolers are like. One day they act like grown ups, the next, they act like babies, but they always need an understanding adult to guide them. Often, it is how you relate to the student, not how you present your material that counts. It goes without saying that a sense of humor is a must!