Middle School: Wonder Years



What is it about middle school that so many people have horrible experiences? I can say that my experience was similar and it helped prepare me years later to minister to this age group.

Wonder #1: Well, it all started in 6th grade. Mrs Reese was my teacher. I think we got new desks. We used to have old wooden desks that were screwed to the floor and in rows. Now we had movable metal desks and chairs. Mrs Reese had the classroom setup in groups of four desks facing each so that they made a square. I was partnered with two girls and a boy. I thought the girls hated me because they spent a lot of the time kicking me. It wasn't until many years did I discover differently.

Wonder #2: One of the greatest moments in my school career came in the 6th grade. On April Fool's Day, the whole 6th grade planned a monumental trick that will never be repeated in all of school history! Every 6th grader made at least one paper airplane. At the appointed time both classes shouted out "Air Raid!! " Then, we hid under our desks and threw our paper airplanes. For my class every thing went as planned. The other class had a major problem. Glitch!!! One of the paper airplanes flew out the window and flew to the floor below and landed on the 8th grade teacher's desk. She just so happens to be the school's principal as well. Lo and behold the whole class received an after school detention. My class nothing!!

Wonder #3: 6th grade was also the worst of my school career. I hated spelling. I had a spelling quiz every Friday. I thought it would work to get out of taking the quiz if I 'lost' my spelling book. I didn't lose it. I hid it on the book shelves in the back of the classroom. This rouse didn't work on two levels. One, I got an F in spelling for the quarter, and two, my teacher found the spelling book while cleaning up during Christmas break. I was in major trouble with my parents. I wonder what was I thinking?!

Wonder #4: Spelling wasn't the only class that I didn't like. I also disliked gym class. In 6th grade, I wasn't very athletic to say the least. By the end of 8th grade, my arms ended at my knees with size 13 shoes. One day, I got my gym shoes really muddy. I stuck them in the utility tub next to the washer downstairs. I thought I was being clever every day when I told the gym teacher that I forgot my gym clothes. Well, guess who got an F in gym? Who gets an F in gym?! Guess who was in trouble again with the parents? I wonder what was I thinking?

Wonder #5:  After a bad year, is it a wonder that my parents had me change schools? I was the only child in the family to attend only 6 years of St. Petronille School. They sent me to a brand new school. St. Francis Prep High was opened in an empty wing of St. Francis High School. There was only one class of 7th grade and one class of 8th grade. My greatest feat of human strength came here. One morning I came to school really grumpy. I don't remember why. One of my classmates started riding me, so I proceeded to grab him by the neck and raise him off the ground. I told him to knock it off. I was amazed and so was he. He was twice my size. Needless to say, he stopped bugging me.
      
Wonder #6: The best memory from middle school was attending a Cubs game with my next door neighbor. He was in high school and I was in middle school. We took the train into the city and took  the Red Line north to Wrigley Field. We sat in the front row of the bleachers.

Wonder #7: What is it about middle school that people treat each other so poorly?! There was a girl in my 7th grade class that everyone decided to pick on. Needless to say, she didn't come back for 8th grade. There was a girl in my 8th grade class who was pretty popular, but people would say things about her that wasn't very nice. I have come to realize that people at that age are so uncomfortable in their own skin that the immediate response is taking out others. At that age, our social skills can be totally unprepared as we transition from early childhood into adolescence. It has taught me to treat  middle school teens with patience and understanding. Yet, challenge them when they treat others poorly. Give them plenty of activity because their bodies can't sit still. Still, they can begin a relationship with God that will last a lifetime. They can teach me things about God and ask good questions. They are fun to be around and are usually willing to do any activity. Inside each one is someone who is looking to be loved, but doesn't know who can be trusted. I have tried to develop an early adolescence ministry that took into account the changing nature and wide ranging development of this age group.      

Here is some good middle school humor: A snowman was seen at the carrot bin in the produce section of the local grocery.  He was picking his nose.

     

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