Rachel, take all the wonderful advice that comes your way here, but let me make a suggestion for a different way to start looking at things. Teaching is both a science and an art. One you can learn form others (the science), but the other depends on what you can do with yourself and NOT your students. Great teachers are artists.

Start now and ask yourself these questions.......Why would anyone want to come to MY classroom? Why will they want to feel I am their buddy, their friend, AND their teacher? Why would they prefer to be in MY classroom and with ME than anywhere else in school?

Treat them as adults, though they are still teens. Treat them with respect, though they may not deserve any or fail to give it to you. Supply them work that they see purpose in and THEN try to tie it back into what you are trying to get across. Lose excessive rigidity and open up your mind to what they want and not what you want to teach. You'll be amazed that under these conditions, they'll arrive at your lesson plan on their own and with a far better attitude.

Spaw