Chapter 9: When Things Go Wrong

First year teacher can find the balance between caring and authority hard to determine. Authority needs to come first.

I am amazed at how soft some beginning teachers can be, just to gain popularity with students! For a teacher to say: “Ok class, no homework today” is just wrong. Our job is to educate not become popular. I agree with the chapter that authority comes first. I know for certain that I will not be a softie. I want my students to learn, and giving them a free pass on homework when they may need the practice, just so they will like me better is not the way to do it. I think that along with authority, by being fair, listening to my students, and sticking to and following through with the rules and agendas that I set will gain me so much more popularity then being soft and friendly with my students.