See If I Care - Ruby

“See if I care” may be one of my favorite entries in this book. We see Mr. Michie completely fall apart in the classroom and essentially blow up at his kids, yelling at them that if they don’t want to participate, then fine! I find this to be a cumbersome realization; this exact situation awaiting us as teachers. However, this entire book has done a great job at preparing or introducing those what-if moments. I think one of my greatest fears, which Mr. Michie met with in this part of the book, was that the students thought his class was boring and uninteresting.

Mr. Michie asked the students to write letters asking what could make the class better, and some kids are blunt by saying, “It is not us, it is you. Change.” I think it is great that he was reaching out to his kids, wanting to know how they really felt, and finding out ways to teach information that was relevant to the children. This is a prime example of progressive education. Though he had a moment where he admitted defeat, Mr. Michie was able to find the hidden gems of intelligent children by just asking and caring for them as individuals. It is because Mr. Michie has a deep caring for these kids that they can confide in him, and even have other teachers ask his opinions, regardless of him being a new teacher at the school, on how to handle or deal with kids.

Ruby was one of those students that Mr. Michie had a vested interest in. He cared for her well-being and future. Even when he visits the 17-year-old Ruby at her home, her having two kids and not in college, doesn’t define her as unsuccessful. Even Ruby says that she wishes she wouldn’t have had her children so young, but that she wouldn’t have it any other way. She understands and lives her life with conviction, having the best career possible as a mom. When reflecting on school and how she thinks most students believe school itself to be a chore, she realizes that too many teachers do not care the way Mr. Michie did. Ruby remembered those teachers as uninspiring and even demeaning, “They couldn’t look you in the eyes and say you be somebody in life, because they didn’t mean it.”