|
As An 8th Grader…By: Kyra
As I look around my first hour, I see tired faces and dreary expressions. But at the utterance of one word, some ones day is brightened and another has been sent into a crisis. Summer. As the end of the year (and middle school for some) draws nearer, it’s giving me more time to reflect back on my “middle school career”. How one place shaped me and my class so much? As a student, middle school has been relatively easy. Perhaps that’s just because of the way I learn and process things. Teachers care about students, but 8th grade has been the only year where I liked all of my teachers. In my previous years, I was kept on the same pace as my class, and the grade was mostly counted based on what you scored for a test. While thrived in this environment, it got boring soon as I would be done significantly ahead of my peers. This year (and as I’m told high school will be) depending on the classes I take I work at an accelerated pace, or at whatever speed I complete my work. Classes take grades based more off of busy work then tests, which has been stressful trying to complete work for every class, but gives you a higher chance of making a good grade if you score badly on one thing. Due to this, I’m watching my peers either do good, or sink under the weight of self guided education. Techsperts is one of these self guided classes. When I first joined in 6th grade after hearing about it during the summer program, I was ecstatic to work with books on the regular and also play a role in my school environment. As the year progressed, we mostly designed book fairs, wrote blogs, and helped with small events and ordeals. When we tried to plan big things like officially making the back room a makerspace, kindness day, and leave your mark projects, things got pushed aside by others or just didn’t work out. It’s also hard to complete projects when I’m the only person who is putting in effort. However, techsperts has also been a valuable experience for me to practice leadership, plan events, and learn more about my teachers and peers. My advice for new students is divided into three sections: basics, tips, and tea. Basics are things that are common sense of that everyone should know.
My middle school career hasn’t been ideal, but it’s mine, and packed full of memories. Whether it’s crying on the bathroom floor after math class, or dancing in the learning commons with Ms. Travis. Even if there isn’t a visible sign of it, I know I’ve been here. And I know I’m going to keep going, and I know you will too. So here’s to the end of my middle school experience and the beginning of someone else’s. Our final book fair is over for the year. We raised three hundred dollars for All For Books, so reality we got to buy six hundred dollars in books to donate to our classroom teachers libraries. We were three hundred dollars short of making a goal of getting extra Scholastic Dollars. The purpose of this book fair was to give back to the patrons of ESMS Learning Commons. It was a buy a book get a book free. I love it when the customers stock up on reading materials for the summer.
MAP testing begins tomorrow for most of our students here at ESMS. It is an exciting yet frightening time for all. Students are ready to show what they have learned but yet anxious to see if it worthy of a high score. I always tell them that if they are trying their best, it will all work out. We will be testing over the next two weeks. The schedule will be testing from first hour until about 10. We will have shortened class following that. Next year's WEB Leaders and Techsperts have been chosen and placed in classes. It is not an easy task selecting these as we have so many good role models and I have to disappoint students because we can only have a certain number of each. As this year winds down and we start to prepare for next year, I reflect on a great year. The students have used the space to enhance learning and we are still making changes to make the space even better. Please have a great summer and remember we will not be having summer school this year! |
|
