As students at Freedom may have recognized, many new teachers have arrived at the school this year. Lauren Krause has previously taught German I and II at J. Michael Lunsford Middle School for the past six years. Although she has plenty of experience, teaching high school students for the first time is a completely different challenge.

“There are definitely pros and cons to teaching middle schoolers and high schoolers,” Krause said. “Middle schoolers say the silliest things and have a lot of energy to expel. High schoolers are a little more lethargic. Trying to get the middle schoolers calmed down and the high schoolers amped up has been the biggest challenge/difference.”

Now that Krause is teaching at Freedom, she’s added German 5 and AP German to her schedule in addition to German I and II.

“I wanted to push myself academically and professionally to see what I am fully capable of doing as a German teacher,” Krause said. 

Students generally change from middle school to high school, and this has not gone unnoticed by Krause.

“I was laughing to myself during AP one class last week, because a student was reading aloud, and his voice sounded exactly the same as it did in middle school.” Krause said. “This person had matured four years – taller, deeper voice, facial hair, but he is still the same exact person he was four years ago in my Level 1 class in seventh grade.”

Many teachers do not have the experiences to compare teaching at two different school levels. Krause now does, and that’s offered her a unique insight into the massive difference between teaching middle school and high school.