Why do some teachers experience successful teaching in the middle level year after year, while others consider an eighth-grade teaching assignment equivalent to a sentence of hard labor? Why is it that some teachers and their students look forward to the time they spend together each day, while others dread the thought of even coming to school? Why do some teachers brag about what their students are doing and the extra things they are accomplishing, while others can’t get students to complete a worksheet in class? The authors don’t profess to have all the answers, but they would like to share some methods they’ve used successfully to create secure classroom environments that have led to more rewarding teaching experiences and more successful student accomplishments.