The passages in Disillusionment were definitely a reality check for me. We all have this perfect picture in our heads of what we want to do with our classrooms, how we want to teach, and maybe even an idea of how we would address discipline problems. What we often forget about is the baggage our students bring to class with them. All of these entries dealt with students lives outside of school and how one's environment has a stronger hold on us than we think. These passages often left the teacher at a loss, for they tried to do what was in their power as a professional to help the student. Most often they failed, however, as the students gave up on themselves. It was a reality check for me as I realize that teaching will not always be a happy gratifying experience. There will always be problem students, or ones whose environment has the ultimate control over them.
In my classroom, I will need to keep in mind that my students have lives outside of my classroom. I need to respect that, and make the environment of my classroom one that students can feel relaxed in. I need to also keep in mind that there needs to be a professional boundary set in place where I am not putting myself in the position of being a friend to my students. In the end, we are all people. We all have issues and everyone deserves someone who can listen to them and offer advice, however simple it may be.
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