I substitute taught in a middle school English class last Friday. The fifth hour class was considered an extra unruly group. So I started the class by speaking with a loud firm (no smile) voice. I remembered what my husband said. He told me to think of the entire class as a group filled with the ornriest kids I would ever meet and their intentions were to take advantage of me.

I told the class their assignment and to my surpise they all mostly stayed focused on their work. One student named Sebastian, although he was doing his work, kept coming to my desk asking questions. Every time he would ask a question, I felt he was sincere. I got the impression he was a sweet kid and trying to do right. I know this sounds very silly, but I said something helpful to Sebastian and then he said he loved me! Sometimes middle school kids will say anything to make others laugh. But I think he said it as a compliment.
After class we went to lunch. I had lunch duty. On the way to lunch, I asked Sebastian if he could show me where I needed to go. He did. Then he asked me if I would let the teacher know that he helped me. I said I would. During the duty, the teacher I was covering arrived. (She had been helping students enroll for the coming year.) I told her about Sebastian.
She smiled and then she told me Sebastian’s story. She said he had had a tough life. She said he had been taken away from his parents. He lived with his grandmother. Then she told me he was a good kid.
Sometimes in classes you must speak to the students in a mean tone and it will help them get motivated to do their work. So I asked her how could anyone talk mean to an innocent struggling kid like Sebastian. She said she’s firm with him to keep him moving in the right direction.
Students like Sebastian are the core reason why I want to teach. I can reach and care for them and be kind to them and possibly be an example to them. I want to be a good example and give them the gift of knowledge which can make them a better person and hopefully they will then impact others in a good way with their life.