Chapter 2 Respect, Liking, Trust and Fairness

I really enjoyed the content in chapter 2 because it dealt with one of my fears about teaching. I want my students to like me but I don't want to overstep boundaries, and I want to see me as someone they can trust, yet still see me as an authority figure. I was impressed by the statement made by a student named Vance, "Some teachers start to fill a void that maybe isn't being addressed a home. Teachers are our de facto parents for the seven or so hours you're with them" (32). I was kind of shocked by this statement. I have never really thought of teachers in that light. I had one teacher that was like another mother to me, but it was never a void that she filled because I have two loving parents.

I guess I have never had to think about a void being filled by a teacher simply because I have never had that sort of void. I hope that if I ever has a student who has a void that needs filling, that I can work to fill it. I hope that I can connect deeply with all of my students, but that those that have few others in their life can feel comfortable enough to come to me with their concerns and problems. I understand how some teacher in my life would definitely be better at void filling than others, and after reading this chapter, I hope to emulate some of their qualities in my teaching.