I feel bad for a teacher.

I teach 8th graders, and it’s true that sometimes kids in that age group can be exhausting—they can be challenging and attention-seeking and stubborn and rude. They’re kids, and don’t always think things through. They make mistakes and bad choices. Being able to work with this without totally losing one’s patience is an essential part of the job.

8th graders are also curious, and enthusiastic, and so funny. My kids make me laugh so much every day. And most of them work so hard! They’re in school all day and then have activities after school and stay up late (much later than I do) to finish their schoolwork. They’re more empathetic and caring than most give them credit for. I could go on and on about how much I admire about my students. In my experience, the good far outweighs the challenging qualities of this age group.

I appreciate what you’re saying here OP, but you don’t need to apologize for 8th graders being how they are; most of the time, they’re awesome. :-)

/r/Teachers Thread