b'ave you ever had the experience of revealing to others that you teach young adolescents only to have them say, Thats nice! when their faces seem to say, Why would you do that? Even other teachers and catechists often state that only a truly special person can teach the middle school grades and that they, themselves, could never do it. These reactions likely result from an experience and understanding of the middle school years as a time of tremendous change and development. This is true. But these years can also be some of the most exciting and impactful for learners, and some of the most rewarding for teachers.In terms of faith, the middle school years are critical in determining a persons long-term identification as Catholic, so our attention and care for these children does need to be truly special. Lets explore some key elements that can help support a successful teaching ministry with young adolescents. By focusing on and attending to these elements, we can experience enlivened classrooms, engaged learners, and the knowledge that we are taking positive steps to help bring faith to life for middle schoolers!Click 24/7 at smp.org 212020_Elementary_catalog_FN.indd 21 1/6/20 2:20 PM'