The Big Move: From Early Childhood to Middle School

By Dawn Arnold-Glasco, Introduction by Me

My dear friend, Dawn, recently embarked on a significant career transition. After dedicating thirty years of her life to early childhood education, she boldly moved to teach seventh-grade RELA. Her decision was influenced by various factors, with the allure of a dedicated, uninterrupted planning period being a noteworthy consideration. Occasionally, I ask her, "How's the new journey treating you? Are you enjoying teaching middle school? Or perhaps, is there a longing to return to nurturing the little ones?"

I've invited Dawn to share her story, and we'll catch up with her later in the school year to see how things are going with her teaching adventure.

From Dawn:

I did it! I am an accomplished teacher. Not just because my teammates, administrators, and I think so, but because the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards has declared so. Though I achieved national board certification in 2016, this was the year that I decided to push the envelope and put my NBCT credentials to work on a different level. I taught primary grades (pre-kindergarten, kindergarten, and first grade) for over 30 years, and now I am ready to move to middle school. 

As a primary teacher, I planted some strong seeds and watched them grow throughout the years. However, I kept hearing horror stories about the high number of secondary students being unable to read on grade level. It was a baffling thought: “Where did it go?” I was trying to understand how so many students were ill-prepared after getting such a firm foundation from teachers like myself and my colleagues. 

My quest to find answers led me on a journey to secondary education. I secured a position in middle school teaching seventh-grade reading (RELA). As an accomplished teacher, I felt that I could reignite the light I'd seen in those students years ago. 

There was not much that I was not knowledgeable of at the elementary level. I have taught on the primary level in 4 different school districts, and I have held some out of the classroom positions as well (tech coordinator, testing coordinator, library media specialist, Reading Specialist, and Title I teacher). It was quite interesting adjusting to so many things I did not know on the secondary level. For example, scheduling was different for me.

In preparation for my new journey, I signed up for classes and workshops to help me understand students on the secondary level. I talked to other teachers I know who have taught on the secondary level, especially seventh-grade RELA. Years of teaching have taught me the importance of preparation. 

One thing that is very different is having dedicated planning time. I will be honest about my LOVE of assured planning time on the secondary level. Though my school is just as shorthanded as most other schools in the country, not receiving my planning is not an option. On the elementary level, I just had to make do when the “special” teacher wasn’t there. However, I have more control over our planning period in middle school. I receive a small compensation if I am asked to cover a class or take students from a class that may need to be split. Furthermore, my plan for the secondary level is the full class period. I truly feel like it allows me to breathe and grab some sanity.

While some things have changed, others are the same. Parental involvement is just as shaky on this level as on the elementary level. Some parents you cannot reach at all, some don’t want to be reached, and some are responsive to your contacting them… just like it was on the primary level. I feel accomplished when I contact a parent and receive a response indicating the parent is involved and open to communication.

The bottom line is that I love teaching. The level does not make a difference; it is what I bring to the game. I’ll let you know if my feelings are the same at the end of my first year as a middle school RELA teacher.