Trying out the second placement in middle school.

I have started my second placement which is at the middle school. I have been nervous and a bit uncomfortable with the idea of teaching here. It's a new field of students with a whole new set of issues that all need a new style of interaction and discipline... none of which I have experienced before. Despite the nervousness, it has been going well.

The first couple days have been crazy withthe power outages and the ending of the semester. My teacher and I get along great so that was a plus. The schedule for my day went rfom having the elementary kids all (from the moment I got to school until they drove away on the bus) to really only teaching a few periods. I am in an English classroom with 6th grade mostly but I do have a couple writer's workshop classes where I teach 8th graders. My day begins with first period as a team meeting time. The teachers from that team all meet and discuss the students and meet with parents or guidance counselors. With the English depeartment they do back to back periods with the same group of kids. So for 2nd & 3rd period I have my first group of students. 4th period B days I have a writers workshop time while 5th period A days I have a different workshop time. Then 6th is lunch. 7th and 8th are the second group of students and 9th period is a prep period. Needless to say I was not prepared for all the free time.

The class right now is reading the book called The Man Who Was Poe, by Avi. They listen to the story on a recording while taking notes. Once the chapter is done, we as a class go over the notes from the chapter and fill out a characterization chart when necessary. They have been doing this and will do this until the book is finished. For me it's frustrating because it doesn't allow for any deviation. As of right now I am just kind of bored and really don't know what to do with myself. I am doing well and having a good time... I just feel like I need more to do.