First Impressions of Chapters 1 & 2!

Creative Connector

One of the first passages I felt that I could personally relate to was in the 1^st chapter on pages 4 and 5 when the author is referring to jumping headfirst into a job as the reading lab director with only a few days to prepare on a topic he hardly knew anything about. I felt extreme admiration for the author when even though he had several doubts if he could ever do the job well, he still went for it and did his best to make it an interesting and engaging class for his students. I was recently in a position where I was almost given the teaching job in Greenville, South Carolina this summer as a middle school social studies and English teacher. The author also mentions having to be prepared the following Monday. The school year had also already started in Greenville two weeks before my interview and if I had gotten the job, I would have had to move and start teaching in 3 days! I wonder to this day if I had gotten the job, whether I would have accepted it or not because of all of these major changes in my life. I feel that in the end, I would have felt like Mr. Michie; it’s a job and there aren’t many available out there right now so I would have taken it and done my best.

            Another passage that struck me was the author’s constant struggle with Hector in chapter 2. I have been substitute teaching recently in the same classroom and as I read about Hector I was constantly reminded of a similar student I was struggling with in that classroom. When the author walks outside the cabin with Hector and he starts to cry, I felt extreme sadness for the student in my classroom who probably feels the same way as Hector on the inside, but with a tough exterior. I need to remind myself that even though I’m frustrated with this student, he is fighting his own battle on the inside and just needs to feel safe and welcome in the classroom.

Essence Extractor

As teachers we may fail daily, but the rare successes override our failures in the end.

Vocabulary Vitalizer

biracial - consisting of, representing, or combining members of two separate races

ramshackle - loosely made or held together; rickety; shaky

euphemistic - the substitution of a mild, indirect, or vague expression for one thought to be offensive, harsh, or blunt.

jovial - endowed with or characterized by a hearty, joyous humor or a spirit of good-fellowship

floundering - to struggle clumsily or helplessly

*Sentence: He floundered helplessly on the first day of his new job.

shenanigans - mischief; prankishness

*Sentence: We had fun participating in the Halloween shenanigans.

microbiology - the branch of biology dealing with the structure, function, uses, and modes of existence of microscopic organisms.

exploitative - to use selfishly for one's own ends

brash - impertinent; impudent; tactless

punitive - serving for, concerned with, or inflicting punishment

archaic - marked by the characteristics of an earlier period; antiquated

*Sentence: He behaved in an archaic manner.

methodically - performed, disposed, or acting in a systematic way; systematic; orderly

shoddy - intentionally rude or inconsiderate; shabby

unadorned - to make more pleasing, attractive, impressive, etc.