I have spent the last 2 years teaching in a middle school and like most of the above comments, it can be fun and it can be hell, it is all based on how you look at the situation. I will try and list the +'s and -'s of my school.
Positives:
1) I get my own fancy classroom that is my own responsibility. I decorate it, organize it and make sure it is clean. During the breaks the students come to hang out and read comic books and play games. A lot of the students just want to relax in the "lounge" part of my classroom.
2) I have 5 co-teachers and they are great! There are a few that I have minor personality issues with, but overall they are great and very professional.
3) If classes are organized properly, they run smoothly and without a hitch. I am not a big fan of singing and dancing and neither are middle school students, so the lessons that I make are interesting for me to teach as well.
4) Lots of prep time thanks to random days off and excellent schedules. These days my schedule is great and thanks to exams, sports days, government testing. Most of the time I have my afternoons free to work on my lessons and whatnot. The school pretty much leaves me alone and I like that.
5) I am treated like just another teacher. I have my own responsibilities that are close to that of a regular teacher. In most of my dealings with elementary schools (I've been in Korea for 7 years) I played the part as "edu-tainer" and that got old fast. Here, I am treated the same as every other teacher and nothing extra gets dumped on my plate just because I am a foreigner.
6) Students can be more mature and they can relate to you a little bit more. It doesn't happen often but there are a few students that are cool and like to just have a conversation.
Negatives:
1) When the students are bad, they are really bad. When my students act up, it is a real eye opener. Violent out bursts, theft, vandalism, smoking, and whatnot happen on a daily basis at my school. Windows are broken so often we now buy extras.
2) Co-teachers are often too busy to come to class, help out, or pass on information. It is hard sometimes because a lot of my co-teachers work really hard, but have trouble coming to class/ participating in class or giving messages about the schedule or whatnot.
3) Business first. I find the the administration and Principles to be less friendly and more business like. Thus, there is no leverage for extra time off or anything like that.
4) Puberty. Yes, most of my students are going through that difficult time and thus are weird to the point of being downright evil. This is also what gets them out of trouble a lot. It is sometimes tough to deal with and there is a huge change from the awesome first graders to my horrible second graders.
5) Class sizes and noise. The average class that I have is about 37 students. I teach for 45 minutes straight. The students, especially now after exams and before the break, are crazy, loud and annoying. It is just apart of the cycle. I use stuff that I learned while teaching elementary students. They know that is for younger students and it insults their egos, so they simmer down a bit.
I think basically what it boils down to is how you approach the situation. Middle school can be fun but also horrible. I keep my classes organized, interesting and fun. If they bomb, it is no big deal. If the students really acting up I try to just step back and let them simmer down (after doing the elementary school stuff) or face the wrath of my co-teacher. Most of them pick up on this fact and stop after awhile.
I hope that this adds to your base of knowledge helps your decision.
