Middle School and Special Ed: Double the Pleasure Says this Seasoned Teacher

Published: February 11, 2021

Author: Carla Morris

If you can imagine a classroom with 30 seats and a pressure cooker gathering steam on each one, then you have a good idea what middle school teachers face daily. Their students learn in spite of rapid physical growth, raging hormones, and profound neurological changes. Throw in social insecurities and vulnerable emotions, and you have the makings for a disaster. 

But the possibilities don’t faze teacher Margaret (Busch ’10) Boivin, who loves this age group. “Eighth grade is easily my favorite,” she says with positivity that could sway even the severest skeptic. 

But that’s not all: Margaret teaches special education, which means she also engages with parents and colleagues to ensure all are on the same page according to each student’s individual education plan (IEP).

She recently shared her insights on the joy of teaching “tweens."

Many Great Days

Recall a time that you came home from work thinking, This was a good day! What made it good?

“Many moments make great days. For example, if there is an IEP meeting that I've found stressful preparing for (yes, we find them stressful too), and it goes really well, it puts a spring in my step for the whole day. I also love it when I plan a fun lesson-an interactive activity, or new technology, for instance-and my students gain a memorable experience from it, whether they retain the content or just have a positive experience in the classroom.”

Cheering on the Paleontologists and House Flippers

What one or two particularly good surprises have you encountered guiding middle-schoolers with special needs?

“There's a part in each IEP meeting where students talk about what they want to be when they grow up. I really enjoy hearing their long-term goals. I've had students be very specific in their career goals, like a paleontologist or a house flipper. It’s great to hear their passions. Sometimes their parents are just as surprised as I am. I have other students who don't know what they want to be when they grow up, but it gets them thinking about their futures.”

I’m sure many people think you deserve double encouragement teaching special ed and middle school. What gives you a sense of satisfaction working with your students?

“I don't know why, but middle school gets a bad reputation. I don't know if that is because the beginning stages of adolescence bring back bad memories for people or what. However, middle school is my favorite . . . I've taught three years of seventh grade and eight years of eighth grade. Eighth-graders want to be high schoolers (or adults, even), but still enjoy being a kid. When I see my students implement something that they learned from me, whether that's an academic strategy or an emotional regulation technique, I know that I am doing what I was called to do. I love looking for those lightbulb moments when they've struggled with a concept, but then it finally clicks.” 

The Tech Side of Teaching

You’ve become somewhat of an expert with EdPuzzle. What is that tool and how do your students benefit from it? 

“I support a lot of my students with disabilities in co-taught classes. Some of my gen ed colleagues used EdPuzzle in their daily virtual lessons, especially in math.  It’s a great tool that allows you to record yourself doing a lesson and then embed questions (multiple choice or short answer) for comprehension. The students can also go back and watch the videos if they are unsure of something. In my district, teachers are required to have some sort of goal for the school year, and I felt that increasing my technology content would be useful. Becoming an EdPuzzle coach was an easy process and I learned a lot.” 

Reassurance for Parents Too

What do you want others to remember about teaching and learning in this challenging time?

“Regardless of how many years of experience you have, every school year brings new adventures and new things to learn. While this year looks a little different for schools, it's important to realize that our students are still learning, whether that's content based, independent skills, or emotional regulation.” 

GET SET (Summer Endorsement for Teachers) at Greenville University this summer includes all-online coursework toward endorsement in middle grades and learning behavior specialist. Learn from a leader in teacher education. Limited seating. Register now.