Few life transitions are as traumatic as starting junior high school. The sudden transition from elementary to middle school can be overwhelming. From having to use a locker to not having a homeroom teacher -- the adjustment can be difficult. It was for me. Having to give up recess for study hall was awkward. Having to descend from being a big fish in a small pond, to a small fish in a big one took time to adjust to.
Learning the new routine and getting to my various class on time was my only concern when I started. It was a challenge to rush between classes and dash across the whole length of the school to make it to class on time. My first couple of classes consisted of a strict "be on time" English teacher and a boorish "good ol' boy" gym teacher. Not a great start, to say the least.
To make matters worse, my algebra teacher assigned us an entire chapter for homework. On the first day! At lunch, the lines were packed with cocky eighth and ninth graders who constantly cut in the line. By the time I sat down to eat my flaccid piece of pizza, I only had ten minutes to eat before history class.
Now, I only had two more classes to endure. The first was study hall. Funny, but I didn't realize study hall was where all the "bad kids" went to sleep or pick fights. I found it hard to start my Algebra homework with all the tension in the room. At least there weren't any lame teachers milling about and pontificating.
At last, the final class was under way. It was science and I was dreading it. But, as the teacher began to talk to us, we all quickly realized how cool he was. He didn't talk down to us. Mr. Barrinsprung was instantly my favorite teacher. He made terms like "ammonium nitrate" and "molecular fission" sound fun and exciting.
His rules were simple: if you insisted on passing note, be sure you didn't get caught. If you fell asleep, be prepared for a fire extinguisher to be sprayed next to your head. Thankfully, staying awake in his class was never an issue. The way he explained how chemicals and theories worked was totally engaging. At the end of class, he would read from the "Weird Stories" pulp novels until the bell rang. His passion and love for his subject was contagious. Science became the carrot that got me through my days.
Author Resource:
Whether its ammonium nitrate or molecular fission, a truly dedicated teacher can make a tremendous impact.
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