Ch. 9: When Things Go Wrong

“We don’t see being nice as a good thing in a new teacher—you need to establish your authority,” (Vance, pg. 167). You are not their friend.
There is a fine line between friend and foe. If you come off as a friend, you will constantly get the “sob” stories and when you decide to put your foot down, you will lose all respect of your students. You can be nice without being a pushover. Sometimes, rules are a good thing. I remember in high school, my math teacher was so nice, constantly pushing back tests and quizzes. But, one day she started taking points off for late work and became our enemy. If she would have established the rule from the get-go life would have been so much easier for the both of us. I need to find my authority and keep it strong!