Miya D.
Mrs. Brumbaugh in front of her new 7th grade classroom.
After three years of teaching sixth grade, Day Creek Intermediate School teacher Angela Brumbaugh made the leap to seventh grade this fall, a move that came with nerves, excitement, and plenty of surprises.
“I was scared,” Brumbaugh said. “Change is always hard and none of us really like change, right? And so, I was scared, and I was a little excited.”
Her former sixth-grade students, however, were thrilled to see her return in a new role. Some, like Ulisa G.S., have had her for two years in a row. “She is a really cool teacher and she teaches stuff well,” Ulisa said. “She has the same rules that she had in 6th grade.”
The transition wasn’t easy. Brumbaugh left behind her teaching partner, Ms. Learmont, who described the change as bittersweet. “It was very sad because not only is she a great teaching partner, but she is also an excellent friend, and I would definitely consider her one of my best friends in my life,” Learmont said. “I was excited for her because it was a new opportunity for her to do something different.”
One of the biggest challenges Brumbaugh faced was adjusting to a brand-new curriculum and lessons. Seventh grade meant higher-level academics and a faster pace. “The math is a little different, so I’m learning [it], too. And the schedule is different,” she said.
Students also noticed a shift in expectations. “I feel like the homework is harder and the level of academics is different,” said Ulisa.
Another student, Brooke M., agreed: “She is great at teaching math, and she explains it really good. It has sometimes affected me because she is teaching another type of math too.”
But the changes weren’t all about academics. Brumbaugh quickly discovered that seventh graders came into her class with more independence. “You guys are different,” she told her students. “You know the school now. I was able to start teaching sooner and not have to teach you where the bathroom was and things like that.”
At first, she braced herself for a rough transition, influenced by stories she had heard about middle school attitudes. “I heard horror stories about 7th graders, that they were mean and not very kind,” Brumbaugh said. “But so far, my experience has been that you guys are still my favorites. So it has not been very different.”
Her students also had mixed emotions about the move. “I felt sad because Ms. Learmont and her would be separated, but I was also excited because I could have a chance to get her again,” Ulisa said.
Now settled into her new role, Brumbaugh has embraced the challenges and rewards of teaching seventh grade. From tackling advanced math to guiding her students through bigger academic hurdles, she continues to bring energy, care, and dedication into the classroom.
“I absolutely love my kids from last year,” Angela Brumbaugh said. “And so to be able to follow them to seventh grade and teach them again this year is a privilege.
While the jump from sixth to seventh may have been intimidating at first, for Mrs. Brumbaugh and her students, it’s turning out to be a journey worth taking.