Middle School Stories

I am unsure of why I was so against teaching middle school in the beginning.

This is why I think this -- I am about to tell you why this is my answer (classic introduction sentences for most of my students who cah-leary had a terrible troll for a sixth grade teacher…waiii, wha?!)


I am a 13 year old loon trapped in a 24 year old's body. Albeit, I am the size--ok, fine--I am shorter than most of my students, but nonetheless, my body has been growing (orrrrr staying the same) for the last 24 years, giving me some sort of edge--like, uh, 12 whole years--on the kiddos I teach. Heels give me the extra edge…usually.


Do you ever have those moments where you just want to tell your friend something extremely rando (read: random) and meaningless just because YOU think it's awesome? Like, you are totes (read: totally) convinced what you have to say is about to be the next coolest idea that will most likely definitely not be a quote others are reading and posting as their statuses years down the road? Clearly I must think this considering I am writing on a blog. Sheesh. Figurative slap to the face there, Miss Smith.

YES, you do have those moments, too, because chances are you just posted one of those quotes/thoughts on your twitter feed, thus proving that most of our ideas can be forced into a 140 word count box. (side note: grammar skills be damned, i cannot post "U" for you, ever, just to make it fit….it just.won't.happen.) YOU do have those moments because you have at least ONCE thought, "Damn, that's a solid thought, worth its weight in gold, I'm way smarter than I thought….kudos to this bitch!"

Middle school students freaking LUUUURVE doing this shit! I cannot tell you how often a student will come up to me as though they're (uhhh wrong form, little one) pants are on fire or raise their hand and wave it frantically when I ask a question just to tell me their family bought a new kitten or it's their sister's hamster's birthday (I kid you not, this happened….."What was our definition of imagery? Anyone?" and YOU, dear seventh grader, decided a furry creature's birthday was the appropriate response? Awesome.)

It's so weird how they look for approval from an adult and strive to retrieve that approval like they're trick-or-treating for praise and appreciation. It's adorable and inspiring…..and annoying all at the same time. I flipping love these kiddos more than I ever thought possible, but I still have days where I am so frustrated and I forget they are just small minions (I kid, I kid). They may answer my questions with things like, "Bacon, can the answer just be bacon?" when I ask what the theme of our latest novel was, but hell, I love bacon too so why not let them have their cake and….eat their bacon?

I am just like them. SO are you! We somehow don't realize that we are surrounded by millions (ok, more like hundreds, we are not THAT cool) that all have small, insignificant stories to share that are anything but small and insignificant to them. We are too quick to belittle those who want to share with us a simple story ("Wow, cool, be sure to tell me THAT one again, sarcasm sarcasm") but why do we expect others to blow smoke up our ass when our stories are just as simple? Middle schoolers hang on your last word like lyrics to a One Direction song, so I strive to give them the same courtesy even if their story-telling falls in the middle of my class. Do my eyes sometimes glaze over when the story becomes a mini novella of epic boring proportions? I would be lying if I said I haven't perfected a "tell me more!" face while thinking about my next lesson/class on the inside (HEY, I'm only human and this is only really happened once!!) but that small person leaves with the utter satisfaction of knowing SOMEONE cared about the story they cared as much about. It's flipping adorable and makes my grinch/ice queen heart melt and grow five times its size.

During this upcoming holiday season, maybe we should all strive to give this much care to our friends, loved ones, strangers who stop you at Target to have meaningless conversation (wait, this doesn't happen to you? Moving along….) If you have children in your life (that came from your belly or someone else's), try giving them an over abundance of confidence and love. I think the children who are shown that their simple stories are good enough to be block-buster movies are the ones who don't grow up too quickly…..and if I could keep my middle schoolers this young forever, I sure would. For now, I'll settle on stopping my class and singing "Happy Birthday" to Munchkin, a furry friend I will never know, but it puts a smile on a kiddo's face….and that is a way better story to keep in my back pocket than forgetting to stop and laugh at how I am still a middle schooler in this small 24 year old body. So are you. Go tweet about it……I promise I will show you I care.

That is why I am still a middle schooler. (A classically awful ending sentence I have already broken my students of....thank the good English lord!)


Here's to your simple but sensational stories,

Miss Smith

the sparknotes to a deleted post: welcome.

i just wrote an entire welcome post and it got deleted.

it's past midnight, and sure it's summer and i don't have to be presentable until noon tomorrow, but i'm not re-writing that shit.

here it is in a nutshell.


i blogged about superficial stuff before -- no really, i mean that literally.
now i blog about my life. as a teacher.
a teacher who taught seniors and am now teaching middle school.
oh, and coaching middle school cheerleading, too.
and i'm only 24. and 5 feet tall. and look like i am still a student....damnit.

welcome to "Teacher Torrie" -- written by the former Superficial Sanctuary.

and then i ended with something witty about how the guy who claimed "those who can't do...teach" was more or less of an asshole. OH, and something along the lines of how these posts may make you laugh and appreciate your degree in theater or business or agricultural studies.

cheers....to my tears & fears of being a teacher.