"Good discipline is a series of little victories in which a teacher, through small decencies, reaches a child's heart." - Haim Ginott
Serena's attempt to fill in for the drama club leader was falling apart. She'd had no previous drama training, and even though she'd agreed to do this out of loyalty to her friend, she was regretting her decision. The students were unruly at best. They came to club unprepared, not knowing their lines. Serena knew her authority was being challenged and she needed to do something about it quickly.
Two of the students who held the lead roles in the play were especially rude. In fact, they constantly harassed one student and brought her to tears on more than one occasion. Serena had warned them that if their behavior continued, she would pull them out of the play. She hoped her threat would never have to be carried out because opening night was in two weeks!
Again they showed up unprepared, and a tearful understudy fled the auditorium before rehearsal even began.
"You made the wrong choice," Serena scolded, and out they went.
Her drama coach friend called her that night furious that her best actors had been thrown out of the play. But Serena's decision stood, and she knew on opening night that it was the right one. The cast gave her a dozen roses presented by the formerly tearful understudy, who that night had the lead.
Make sure double standards never exist in your classroom. Wrong is wrong, no matter who commits it.
Prompt: Have I allowed favoritism to color my decisions in the classroom? What steps can I take to rectify the situation and prevent it from happening again?
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