Roles of the Teachers

Mr. Escalante played all the roles: disciplinarian, mentor, ally, friend, and therapist. He was a disciplinarian and an ally because he made the students work hard and long after school hours so that they would be able to learn more information and go to college. He was a mentor because He taught them the information and made sure that they could all understand it. He became their friend and therapist because he helped them deal with their personal problems and genuinely cared for them, he also had complete confidence in their abilities.
Ms. Watson was a mentor and an ally/friend. She was a mentor because she wanted the students to learn information that you can't learn from a textbook, she taught them how to view art with both the heart and the mind. She was also their ally and friend because she wanted them to learn and to succeed and she wanted them to further their education instead of just getting married.
Jack McFarland was a mentor, ally, friend, and therapist. He was a mentor to Mike because he took extra time to explain and help teach the information and he genuinely enjoyed doing it. He became a friend through mentoring Mike and they began to enjoy their discussions. He was an ally because he did everything he could to help Mike get into college. And he was a Mike's unknowing therapist, just by spending time with Mike he helped him deal with what happened to his dad.
Sister MPH was mainly a disciplinarian but she was also a mentor. She was a disciplinarian because she was extremely strict and would call home whenever Audre misbehaved. She was a mentor in the fact that she was Audre's teacher, even though Audre did not really like her.