Prior to starting her first job Erin expected an easier experience then what she originally had thought. She expected to teach the students and that they would really enjoy learning from her. Erin was confronted with many troubles when she first started. They students she was going to teach hated each other, as well as, their teacher Erin. They did not want to be at school. They did not care about learning. They were just trying to survive in the world that they were living in. The students of room 203 have all gone through a lot of hardships. Some of the things they experienced were gangs, violence, poverty, drugs, abuse, and death. They had all been through a lot and instead of coming together to support each other, they hated each other and their own lives. The students hated learning so much that they wouldn't even try to do it. Everyone else saw them as unteachable and couldn't wait for the opportunity to get rid of them. Erin recognized that the students were similar. She made them read books that were very similar to their own lives and taught them that they can succeed. She made them believe in themselves, each other, and her role as teacher to get them to want to learn from her. She also had each student start keeping a journal so that they could get their thoughts out and move forward in life. She connected their lives within her curriculum through the journal entries and the books that resembled their own lives.
Also, Erin had to deal with many challenges within the school system and other teachers. The school system and teachers had already ruled out the students of 203. They didn't give them a chance to learn and wouldn't provide them with the necessary tools to get them to accomplish their learning goals. However, Erin did believe in them. She expected more from them than anyone else did, which made them strive to learn and succeed. Erin believed in these students, made them believe in themselves, and had a huge impact in their lives. I strive to be like Erin.
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