If you had asked me at any point in my life (prior to four weeks ago), if I ever saw myself teaching middle school, the answer would have been a resounding NO!  No way.   Not a chance.  Thank you but I’ll stick with the younger ones.   Well….then the job offer came in and it was for 6th grade reading/writing and social studies.  As it was already three weeks into the school year, I was elated to finally have a classroom and completely forgot about my initial reservations of teaching hormonal 12 year olds.   Then I had my first day….. and I barely made it to my car at 3.00 p.m. before the dam burst and the tears poured out. 
 Four weeks have passed since that first day and I can’t really say much has changed in my classroom.   This week was a better week….but I also had my three most behaviorally…