I could not have imagined a better placement. While I tend to be positive minded, I have to honestly say that regardless of needing something to “work out” or not, my cooperating teacher was perfect. She was a tiny woman, a little firecracker who reached even the most struggling students, academic or emotional. The same students who worked hard, reached their potential, participated, and followed classroom procedures in her class were the students who, without guidance in other classrooms, fell short of academic proficiency, and required constant disciplinary action. Mrs. Haines, my coop, was fast acting. Not a student, a word, or an issue passed her by. She truly guided her students into discovering their own potential: she crafted her questions so that they felt empowered and responded with thoughtful remarks. She was fierce and stern and demanded their respect, but in turn gave them hers. She was emotionally supportive and academically creative so that her students were always engaged, on topic, and working with her and each other in order to find success in themselves. It amazed me to see one woman reach so many students as strongly as she did, especially the students who were known to be “troublesome.” By watching her, I was able to step up my classroom management skills. Timid at first, I became more confident and saw instruction not as discipline, but as refocusing a student to better engage them. As I taught lessons each day, or worked with groups of students, I began to feel them respect and respond to me the more I not only helped and cared for them, but also managed them. My rise in confidence and realizing my own abilities was a surprise to me. For the first time, I saw myself creating a nurturing classroom environment not by being passive but by having high expectations for my students. I realized how much they need and want me to have these high expectations.