Both Erin Gruwell in Freedom Writers and Jamie Esclante in Stand and Deliver addressed students stuck in low-income settings and crime-ridden neighborhoods. Despite the low achievement of these students, both teachers were able to promote subject mastery in their students. Even though the subjects of English and mathematics are extremely different, one method united both teachers and allowed them to teach their students effectively: trust. Erin and Jamie were successful because of the trust they had in their students. At both Erin's and Jamie's schools, there was a fundamental distrust of students on the part of the teachers and a fundamental distrust of teachers on the part of the students. This environment has led to a disconnect between faculty methods and student needs. As Erin and Jamie began to trust their students, that trust was reciprocated over time. Trust in the classroom led to better classroom behavior, greater student interest, and higher expectations of each student's work. These three factors, based on trust, have allowed Erin and Jamie's class to thrive. At both schools, the faculty did not trust the students. Due to the lack of trust, students had no trust or respect towards the faculty, as the facility did nothing to earn their trust. This environment led to disciplinary problems as students attempted to use the system to their advantage. At both schools, a lack of trust among students also contributed to a number of fights and other disciplinary problems. This trust void was resolved when both Erin and Jamie placed their trust in their students. When the students realized that both teachers had confidence in their abilities and qualities, the disciplinary problems began to subside. In... middle of the paper... calculus tests, while the students relied on him to prepare them. Jamie raised the bar and put his trust in the students. The students recognized this trust and did what they could to meet the high standards Jamie was setting. In Freedom Writers, Erin trusted her students to read literature that the administration said was considered above their reading level. Erin had faith that her students could do it, and the students excelled in attempting to achieve the high standards Erin set for her class. Trust created the environment for learning, and trust is what allowed both teachers to thrive in the classroom. For both teachers, however, trust in students didn't go very far when it came to gaining the support and trust of the administration. Both Erin and Jamie were criticized for thinking the students were too smart and not capable of that caliber of work or responsibility.