Middle school is the perfect time to plant the seed for a child to grow a lifelong love of science. That’s why I love being a middle school teacher.

My students are definitely still kids, but they’re at a developmental period in their lives where they’re growing and coming into their own. They’re developing their own attitudes and opinions—something you may relate to if you have a middle schooler in your life!

This preteen age is the time to capture their imaginations and instill a love of science. It’s not easy, especially when you’re competing with smartphones and laptops for kids’ attention. Today’s technology makes it hard to teach critical thinking, but if we’re going to raise the next generation of scientists, engineers—and really, just good citizens—kids have to learn these skills.

 …