Some of the few ways that Mr.
Escalate and my former high school teacher Ms. Laughlin are different, is they
both taught in a very different environments Mr. Escalate taught in a very poor
area with lots of theft and gangs. While Ms. Laughlin taught in a more red neck
type area, with less gangs and theft and more dirt biking and four
wheeling. They also taught two very
opposite subjects Mr. Escalate taught Math. While Ms. Laughlin taught English. Although
they had their differences they both had very many aspects in common. The biggest
role Mr. Escalante and Ms. Laughlin played in their students’ lives were giving
them inspiration and with that self-confidence.
Both Mr.
Escalate and Ms. Laughlin and are very strict with their students, they expect
respect and if the students don’t show them that respect, then they treat that
student the same way that student treats them. If the student is respectful to
the teacher then the teacher will give that student respect back and also more
privileges. For example, one time during class one of Mr. Escalates students
flipped him off during class instead of taking this as an insult Mr. Escalate
took it as a challenge. “Oh so you’re the figure man well I am that figure man
two.” After this statement, Mr. Escalate then proceeded to show this student
how to do multiplication on his fingers. When Ms. Laughlin is being
disrespected, if the student is talking back, she will use intelligent words
that the student doesn’t understand to make sure that student is not
disrespectful again. The other students in the class will laugh because the
student getting put in their place, so to speak is stubbing over their words not
sure how to reply. Even though the majority of the class doesn’t understand
exactly what she is saying either.
Another way
I have seen these teachers gain respect is have a strict late policy, Ms.
Laughlin in forces the rules as well as Mr. Escalate. If a student was late to
her class she would ask them to wait outside of the classroom until she had a
chance to talk to them. One time when one of Mr. Escalates students were late
he asked him to leave his classroom as well although, he didn’t want them to
come back into his class at all that day, if that student was late. Often time
though, in Mr. Escalante’s class students wanted to be there, they truly felt satisfaction
in learning and being is his classroom. By being strict with their students,
they gained respect through respect they were able to push their students to
become successful.
Another way Escalate
and Laughlin are similar is they both have high standards for their students,
they know what they can become. The great things that they can do with their
life, this is why they will push their students to their full potential. They
also know what that full potential is for each individual that comes into their
classroom. Ms. Laughlin proved this with a student in my English class, his
name was Mark Davidson. I never knew a boy who could get away with merely doing
nothing almost on an everyday basis in class. Most of the teachers at my high
school gave up long ago in trying to convince him to do work. Although,
Laughlin on the other hand had not given up on the challenge, I don’t know how
she did it or the exact day that it all changed. But, I do know one thing.
Every day that Mark wouldn’t do his work. Laughlin would come over and sit with
him and talk to him about why he wasn’t doing his work. Or I guess she would
just talk to him, I really don’t know, but whatever she did, she was a miracle
worker. One day I looked over at Mark and he was working and he was not just
looking at his work and faking it. He was sincerely engaged in his work truly
thinking and working on his class work. This is proof of Mr. Escalates words
were he states, “Students will raise to the level of expectation, Senor
Molina.” Mr. Escalante proved his words to be true many times. He took a
classroom of students that appeared that they didn’t want to achieve anything
in their life, to students that didn’t want anything other than to gain more
knowledge in school. These students started to fight for their education. When
the whole class was claimed to have cheated, the whole class started to get
fired up about it. They all became very upset, although they were upset this
still did not stop them. They continued to work, to study, they all choice to
take the test again to prove that they did not cheat. They studied almost all
night, the night before the test, then they all in the end passed the test. Since
Mr. Escalante and Laughlin both showed their students that they truly believed
in them, this helped their students believe in themselves.
Mr. Escalante
wanted to teach, he and Ms. Laughlin truly want to teach their students. They
care for them and they want them to be successful. Mr. Escalante was not
supposed to teach math in the beginning he actually came to teach a computers
class, but because the school was so poor they couldn’t afford computers, this
showed his dedication to the school even before he was dedicated to his
student’s. Mr. Escalante showed dedication to his students, because he taught
them in the summer, where he was only given an extremely humid classroom to
teach in with no air conditioning, he taught them before school, after school. He
took time way from his family at times just to teach his student’s. He spent
his time asking his students about their lives, to get to know them on a
personal level. Not just to look at them as another head in his classroom. This
showed that he had a passion for his job that he loved what he did, being a
teacher.
Ms. Laughlin
also shows similar dedication to her student’s, she will take the time out of
her day to read extra papers the student has written for another class. To
correct it, to proof read it. She also will ask students about their home life.
If one of her students come into the class distressed and in tears, she will
take the chance to talk to them in the hallway. To mentor with them, Laughlin
will let you come to her with a problem with your schedule, any problem that
you may have she will take it into her hands and handle it quickly and
effectively. Of course this is if you have shown her respect in her classroom,
but often times she will even show this kindness to students that haven’t
always treated her the best they should have.
Since both
these teachers have shown their students so much love and respect by truly
caring about them, this has greatly reflected who their students have been as
people. I can speak first hand that I would not be the student that I am today
if Ms. Laughlin didn’t tell me on a weekly bases how she knew that I could do
it. Telling me that I am intelligent, that I can accomplish the tasks she has
asked of me, to trust in myself. This is much like Stand and Deliver when I can
see that Mr. Escalante’s students gained a greater hope and appreciation for
their lives. He set a fire within each of his students to work for the things
they desired in their life. I think that is the greatest lesson a teacher and
teach their students to have self-confidence and to give inspiration to their students.
