Rodriguez 1

Glory Rodriguez
Professor Malvin
English 114A
Essay1 REVISED
6 December 2015
Class Chemistry
I Just Wanna Be Average by Mike Rose stuck out to me the most because I was able to
relate to what he went through in high school. I was uninterested in one of my classes at the
beginning of the year, but just like Roses teacher, my teacher also caught my attention and
helped me succeed by being patient and allowing me to find what Im really interested in. Rose
started off the year unmotivated. He felt this class in particular was unnecessary. At first he didnt
put in any effort, but soon found that he had an interest in English and so he began doing better
as the year proceeded. He never thought that he would have done so well. His teacher Mr.
MacFarland encouraged him to do better and he is the reason Rose excelled.
I remember when I first walked into my Chemistry class. I was not happy. Some of my
classmates said that it would be boring and difficult. I let other peoples opinions define how I
felt about the class. Rose shares the moment when he and his fellow classmates came to a
realization: But within no time, he had us so startled with work that we didnt care where he
slept or if he slept at all (184). As human beings we tend to judge people based on their
appearance even though we know we shouldnt. Ive learned that looks do not matter. Looking a
certain way does not reflect or define your intelligence.
Rose and I had the same issue. We judged the class and teacher before actually giving it a
chance. Our teachers were very dedicated to their jobs. Ms. Cortez, my chemistry teacher, didnt

Rodriguez 2
let anything stop her from giving a lecture. She made sure she did what had to be done in order
to help her students succeed. Rose explains Mr. MacFarland as a teacher who didnt just hand out
good grades, but one who believed that every student must earn good grades. I loved getting
good grades from MacFarland (185). The grades he received actually meant something to him
because he knew his teacher was challenging him and he also worked hard for them. Ms.
Cortezs class wasnt the easiest so the best feeling in the world was getting tests and projects
back and seeing 100%. The lectures she gave were long and at times difficult to understand but
she was patient and took the time to help everyone understand. She was very creative when it
came down to the lectures, assignments and projects. She allowed us to work in groups which
was great because we were all able to help each other. Ms. Cortez also came up with little
activities to help us understand the lecture a little better. I remember she once assigned us to
create a childrens book explaining the lecture. I thought that idea was great because having to
explain it to someone else helped me understand it so much more. This is probably what made
students so interested in getting the work she assigned done. Its a good feeling knowing that all
my hard work paid off, especially in a class I never expected to enjoy. Ive learned to keep an
open mind in life because you never really know how things are going to be until you give it a
try.
Both MacFarland and Cortez had a way about them that made everyone pay attention.
Rose begins reflecting on MacFarland and how he didnt think he had it in him to take control.
Here was this egghead, for Gods sake, keeping some pretty difficult people in line (184).
Although MacFarland didnt look like the type of teacher that would catch a students attention,
he proved them wrong and did. This just goes to show that its not all about appearance. He was
actually very knowledgeable and wanted to spread that knowledge to his students. Just like

Rodriguez 3
MacFarland, Ms. Cortez was not taken seriously and we too realized how wrong we were for not
taking her seriously. It was shocking to see that the people that didnt care about their education
actually paid attention in her class and put in effort. I had never seen that before and that made
her so much more appealing to me, here was this elderly woman taking control of a situation no
other teacher could or would, now that was amazing. She had so much patience and care for
everyone that it made students want to do well. I feel that when you feel someone cares about
you, you tend to want to do better for them. Maybe thats why so many students ended up doing
so well and enjoyed her class.
Even though Ms. Cortez and Mr. MacFarlands students doubted them, they were still
very well respected. Rose and his classmates acknowledged Mr. MacFarland for everything he
had done for them. If nothing else, we all recognized MacFarlands considerable intelligence
and respected the hours he put into his work But I worked very hard, for MacFarland had
hooked me (Rose 185). MacFarland hooked Rose because of his dedication to helping his
students. MacFarland did so much to help his students and proved that he was worthy of having
their attention, which is how he gained their respect. Similarly, Ms. Cortez worked so hard to
help each and every one of her students. That is what made her such a great teacher. She poured
her heart into what she did and that reflected onto us. I dont think I had ever been intrigued this
much before. She made everything about chemistry interesting and fun. I would actually get
excited about going to class. I wouldnt say that I was a teachers pet, but I was always on task
and asked to get my work reviewed before turning it in. I was very motivated to do well in her
class. Cortez brought out a different side of me. I had never been so eager to do well in any of
my other classes.

Rodriguez 4
Education means a lot more to me now. I mean I always knew it was important and could
help me get further in life, but its much more than that. I realized that being educated doesnt
necessarily mean being a doctor. Its more of knowing what you need to do to be content with
life and to possibly help others along the way, just like Mr. MacFarland and Ms. Cortez. Reading
this article and reflecting on my own experience has made me appreciate education and all that
teachers have done for me as well as other students. Education can really make a difference in
someones life. Being open to learning about new things is something that has to be done in order
to be educated in other aspects of life. I sometimes wonder how different things would be if I
wouldve never had Ms. Cortez as a teacher. I dont think I would have appreciated education as
much as I do now or even realized how much teachers actually do for their students. She helped
me with more than just chemistry. I grew this new respect for teachers and education. Its
amazing how much someone could impact your life.

Rodriguez 5

Works Cited
Eschholz, Paul. Models for Writers Short Essays for Composition. Eleventh ed. Boston: Bedford/
St. Martins, 2012. 183-186. Print.