What a great way to wrap up the semester.  There were mixed emotions in this chapter.  First it really enraged me when I was reminded of how our profession is overlooked by society as unimportant and easy.  This is reflected in our salary, the lack of respect we receive, and the lack of professional training we obtain and are given opportunities for, such as collaboration with our peers and meaningful, practical apprenticeship instead of an hour workshop.  Then as I kept reading, it reminded me of Possible Livesby Mike Rose that Caren and I read for our book study.  Being a social justice educator means that I am helping to open doors for students, making dreams possible to obtain.  So do I need the money and the respect?  It would be nice, but it’s not a necessity.  Like Freire, I keep hope dear in to my heart.  I will continue to hope for better conditions for my students and keep fighting the struggle.  Take action, right?  That’s what the whole program was about, right?  Construct it to change what you don’t like, right?  I really liked the quote referring to Freire and West, “hope and struggle are not simply instruments that produce improved social conditions, although improved social conditions is a leading goal.  Participating in a hopeful struggle is itself an ‘improvement’.”  Make what we do matter.