Professional Shelf

Advice from Middle School Students

Alicia Eames, Curriculum Connections -- School Library Journal, 8/14/2008

Fires In the Middle School Bathroom: Advice for Teachers from Middle Schoolers (New Press, 2008).

Caught between the worlds of elementary and high school, middle schoolers often juggle identities, trying on the trappings of adulthood while longing for the security of earlier years. Young adolescents can be maddeningly argumentative, giddily happy, earnestly serious, or anything in between. Growing up in a world that seems to change with just as much speed as their developing personalities and bodies, students often face challenges different from their teachers' own youthful experiences. In Fires In the Middle School Bathroom: Advice for Teachers from Middle Schoolers (New Press, 2008), Kathleen Cushman, author of Fires In the Bathroom: Advice for Teachers from High School Students, (New Press, 2003), and Laura Rogers, a lecturer in psychology at Tufts University, ponder these and other issues and offer guidance to educators willing to listen and ready to be flexible.

Having interviewed tweens and teens in five urban areas from Connecticut to California, the authors share suggestions with teachers navigating the murky waters (and noisy school corridors) of early adolescence. Not surprisingly, students want strong role models in the classroom—adults who are firm and fair as well as funny and understanding. They don't want to be stereotyped, and they don't like to be singled out for praise or ridicule. Topics of discussion include, homework, grades, scheduling, parents, friendships, cliques, video games, lunchtime, bullying, swearing, gender, identity, and other issues that impact the middle school experience. Throughout, the authors propose practical hints for making the school day more kid-friendly and receptive to students' physical needs and learning styles. In addition, they present questionnaires designed for teachers and students to encourage personal and professional reflection and assessment.

As eighth grader Canek counsels, “An ideal teacher understands and pays attention to the kid. They should be friendly, but not too friendly or else they'll lose their authority. But they have to be comfortable with the kids, and be fair to everybody.” Whether novices or seasoned pros, teachers will welcome and value the observations offered in these honest, open voices.