Pros
For almost thirteen years, I have worked as a biology, physical science, environmental science and now, an in-school suspension behavior modification program teacher at the same school. During this years, I have seen many students’ lives changed due to my high expectation of them. I call them all precious, which they object initially, but will later start calling one another precious, including I. The highlight of my joy is when I inspire students who were always walking the hall to stay in class and finish high school. One particular example, was about a student who I told that if he did not want to go to university, he could learn trade after getting his high school diploma. After two years, this student is now an electrician. After charging my husband $500.00 for electrical work and noticing that I am related to him, this former student gave him $200.00 back with the explanation that if he is related to me, I was the teacher that inspired him to take charge of his future instead of heading to prison or death like many of his peers. Such story is what keeps me going everyday as I address my students with very challenging behaviors.
Cons
My strength, which is my ability to inspire students, contributes to my weakness. This is because my high expectation causes me to invest a lot of time to inspire them. In the process of inspiring many very challenging students, I end up feeling so inadequate and sometimes blaming myself for not doing more or trying something else more to help them deal with their challenging attitudes if they are not responding positively. This thought of inadequacy is causing me to always wanting to attend seminars, to learn more about new research studies on why students behave the way they do, their life experiences, trauma, and so on.