Jack MacFarland and Escalante

In part II of I Just Wanna Be Average, Rose finally manages to break free from the rut that Voc. Ed. had put him in and rise to his full potential. Rose’s success was due largely to his teacher, Jack MacFarland, who pushed Rose to succeed despite his discouraging academic history.

When comparing MacFarland and Escalante, it is clear that the common ground between them is vast in comparison to their differences. Escalante taught a classroom full of underprivileged, rebellious Hispanic teens, whereas MacFarland taught students that were generally better-off. However both teachers took their jobs incredibly seriously; they didn’t just teach English or Calculus, they taught their students to succeed in other classrooms, in their personal lives, and in all possible parameters of life. They took teaching on not only as a job, but as a way of life; they invested a huge part of themselves in their students, taking a personal interest in each and every one of them. Furthermore, although MacFarland and Escalante may have been plagued by a less-than-desirable physical appearance, what was on the ‘inside’ more than made up for it; their quick, stinging wit and admirable zeal and intellect earned them respect. They inspired their students to want to succeed in class. Rose said, "Venal though it may have been, I loved getting good grades from MacFarland."

MacFarland and Escalante were both tremendously dedicated, caring, brave teachers; and as a result, their students flourished.