Student Teaching: I really don't care...because I care

I still need to write about the first week of student teaching, but I had to write about a moment that happened today. I used to think I'd struggle with students not liking me. Today I realized I didn't care. I took away a student's cell phone. I moved another from sitting next to a friend. I sat next to a student silently until they got to work on an assignment. In each instance I realized, "You don't like me very much right now," and then realized, "And I don't care." Now don't get me wrong. I care very much about my students. I care about their success. I care that they work hard. I care that they get an education. And because I care, I don't care if they don't like me.