[Hank 91]

The idea of teaching didn't occur to me until my senior year of college, and back then the idea was to teach high school. I loved the thought of teaching AP English to seniors, but when the district hired me (three months after graduation and without a single teacher ed course to my name), the opening was in middle school, and I haven't looked back. I'm sure I'd love high school, but I simply love middle school kids too much to leave. People are always shocked by that -- teachers and non-teachers alike -- because of what we all know about middle schoolers. But here's what I always tell people -- I get my kids at their absolute best. They don't roll their eyes, they don't answer questions with blank stares, they don't mumble things under their breath, they don't operate under the idea that I couldn't possibly understand anything that they're going through. (My own daughter, recently turned 13, does all those things.) My students, however, are happy, thoughtful, and eager to please. It truly is my dream job.

And did I mention summer vacation?

[Hank 91]

The idea of teaching didn't occur to me until my senior year of college, and back then the idea was to teach high school. I loved the thought of teaching AP English to seniors, but when the district hired me (three months after graduation and without a single teacher ed course to my name), the opening was in middle school, and I haven't looked back. I'm sure I'd love high school, but I simply love middle school kids too much to leave. People are always shocked by that -- teachers and non-teachers alike -- because of what we all know about middle schoolers. But here's what I always tell people -- I get my kids at their absolute best. They don't roll their eyes, they don't answer questions with blank stares, they don't mumble things under their breath, they don't operate under the idea that I couldn't possibly understand anything that they're going through. (My own daughter, recently turned 13, does all those things.) My students, however, are happy, thoughtful, and eager to please. It truly is my dream job.

And did I mention summer vacation?