This was something that I mainly struggled with during my elementary years. There are many times that I can think back on, and see where I was not at the same level of emotion as many of my friends, things that really would not affect them would often times really affect me. From my memory, I believe that this changed for the better my fourth grade year, which leads me to the next turning point of my education, an amazing fourth grade teacher. .
Entering fourth grade and I remember being scared to death. I so did not want to have the, what seemed to be, grumpy and old Mr. Greene. I had heard many older students talk poorly about him many saying that he was a very mean and strict teacher. I, of course, ended up getting him as a teacher. Looking back, this was definitely a blessing in disguise. Mr. Greene ended up being not only an amazing teacher but also just an all around great guy. He truly cared about each and every one of his students, and that just really meant so much. Richard Rodriguez also had teachers that meant a lot to him. He looked up to his teachers and ultimately wanted to be just like them. He states that he strives "to be like his teachers, to possess their knowledge, to assume their authority, their confidence, even to assume a teacher's persona " (343). His drive to become something better than his parents and to know everything was taking away from him as a person; he barely had his own opinions. In his overall attempt to further his education, he would end up loosing his self all together. .
It was because of Mr. Greene that I realized how much I actually really loved math and it was also because of him that I realized I could do anything that I set my mind to. I was much more happy in school once I had him as a teacher, something that I will be eternally grateful for. .
After fourth grade, elementary school came and went, next came middle school. Sixth, seventh, and eighth grade were definitely good years with many great teachers.