This fresh, new book presents a comprehensive introduction to the children, the choices, and the challenges of teaching middle school. Writing in the first person, the author, an experienced middle school teacher, examines the full range of middle school topics, from the development and diversity of middle school learners, to the structures, curriculum, and environment of the school itself. Engaging vignettes and photos of teachers and students bring topics to life, while boxed NMSA performance standards relate to each chapter's content. The resulting book offers a comprehensive body of knowledge that emphasizes academic rigor while speaking to pre-service teachers in a voice that invites new teachers into this field.