Middle school students are some of my favorite people. I was an 8th grade language arts teacher for 13 years in Topeka. After leaving teaching, I went to work for the University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning as an embedded instructional coach at a Topeka high school. This work, after 13 years, led me to the KCK public schools as a Teacher Leader in a district middle school. I loved working for KCK, but the drive from Topeka was very difficult; I spent two hours every day in the car! As luck would have it, a position opened here in Lawrence as a middle school instructional coach, and I jumped at the chance to work in such a distinguished school district. This is my 8th year in the district and 31st year in education.