Sometimes, as with tough love, relations of hurt are not what they seem to be. I had one canny and amazing teacher, humane and funny to the core. It took me 5

Sometimes, as with tough love, relations of hurt are not what they seem to be. I had one canny and amazing teacher, humane and funny to the core. It took me 5 years to grow from hating her to loving her. On the last day, when I graduated her class with A+ and a special prize she finally said to me; """ I always marked your work unfairly, very poorly. I know kids like you, and wanted to make you say "I'll show that fucking bitch" """ Occasionally, sparingly, I use that same device in my teaching. It's hard to pull off and you have to watch very carefully where it lands. You need to watch for Pvt. Gomer Pyle's who can't process it, and give them 100% heart. But for many, being the bitch is the way to their hearts, because it gives them something to triumph over. A sorry kind of teacher is one who really cares too much what people think about them.