I believe that while I am of a white ethnicity and not a scholarship student, I am still able to connect to Rodriguez's teacher- student relationship. When I was younger I enjoyed school and usually felt that I did have a connection to my teachers. I didn’t necessarily want to be just like them, but I enjoyed how they taught and how they were trying to deliver the course material to us in ways that took hold of our attention. I got lucky enough to have teachers who I usually could find some form of connection to, whether it be they’re son or daughter was on a sports team with me, they were close friends with my parents, or they played music in class that I enjoyed listening to. Finding those connections made it easier to listen to that single person drone on every day of the week in front of us about topics that weren’t always fascinating. Also I’d like to comment on a passage in part three where Rodriquez comments how he pleased people the most while he was young. This is most definitely true. When students are in elementary school, every small achievement is noticed and commented on by not only their teachers but also by their parents at home. A pat on the back or a smiley face on at A graded paper kept younger students wishing to continue on their outstanding streak. However when students reach middle school and high school, those small achievements are long gone and it’s the larger achievements that are noticed. Not so much when they’re done correctly, but when they’re not. As we grow up we learn more and more about criticism and I feel that Rodriguez felt this himself when he was moving up in the world. Following the teachers lectures completely wasn’t enough anymore, going above and beyond to read all the books they brought up weren’t enough.
I can in no way begin to pretend that I understand the difficulties that Rodriquez went through being of a different ethnicity in that time, nor the language barrier that may have formed difficulties for him, nor most importantly the struggle he had at home. With my parents, my mother went on the college and my father did not, however they both finished their high school education and so have always been as “educated” as I felt that I was. While sometimes I would bring homework home and when asking them for help they would scratch their heads in wonder at some of the problems, I was never ashamed of this. It was more of exasperation at my teachers for trying to teach us new information. I also never had to choose between the person I was at home with my family, and the student I was in the classroom. I could combine those two people into one and be my own self. I never had to be ashamed of bad grades, nor bashful at the good ones. School work was an expected duty and if I needed help my parents were there for me as best as they could be.
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