I = not qualified for middle school

alright.  so, middle school.  i hated it the first time i was there, i don't know why i thought this would be any different.

while standing there dealing with a girl who was about 13 and is at the stage in her life where you apply as much eye liner as you can BEFORE gym class and you pretend that you're dumb as a rock because you think its cute, and i realized two things:

1.  i am NOT predestined to work with middle schoolers.  it is not my gift, it is NOT my calling.
2.  i was only in first period.  

did i mention that i was teaching gym?  no kidding.  so.  badminton.  not a joke.  when i was in middle school i remember thinking that it was the dumbest thing in the world... it hasn't changed.  one kid said, "seriously does this stuff even matter?" and i said (which is one more reason i shouldn't teach middle schoolers) i said, "yes, of course!  honestly?  you want to know honestly if this matters?  no, it really doesn't.  i think the last time i played this game was when i was in middle school."  and one girl said, "so why do we have to do this?  aren't we wasting time?"  to which my reply was, "i'm pretty sure you're learning this just in case you marry the prince of england because that is the only plausable time i could see you needing this ability... your birdie is over there."  no kidding.

also, here's another observation.  middle school was 15 years ago for me.  not as long as others but really long for me.  so, it hasn't changed, in all these years.  the cliques are still there and they haven't changed.  you have the popular kids, the ones who want to be there, the ones who don't, the jocks, the jerks, the nerds.  it's amazing to me.  i sat there watching this thinking 'wow, that's so-and-so that i went to high school with... and that would be jill and that's ryan and that kid over there is justin."  i could pick out kids who were the match for when i was there.  and the mean bullies picking on the weaklings, i wanted to kick their butts.  no kidding.  i wanted to grab a couple of them and shake them repeatedly.  but i'm not their parent, i'm the worthless sub that isn't qualified to teach gym.  however, i do remember one thing about my gym teachers from all my years in school... they swing their keys... so i swung my keys.  therefore, i was a little more qualified.