Chapter 9: When Things Go Wrong

In chapter nine, the quote that jumped out most for me was on page 168. It said, "We're just going to crush your hope and pride. Teachers need to get a harder shell. After that, students won't see that you're scared. -Mika" (page 168).

This particular section of the reading stood out to me because it kind of summarized my first few weeks out in the schools. While my time there was not 100% awful, I did quickly come to the realization that students, if they really want to, can break you down into very small pieces. In my class, I realized that if you don't give your students the respect they deserve, you won't be respected either. My mentor has been teaching for almost 10 years, and his students have been challenging him every minute of everyday since that 10 years began. Since he isn't giving them respect, they are wearing on him.