ROCKFORD, IA - Rockford, Rudd, and Marble Rock tenth graders joke around as they enter English class. But as soon as that bell rings, it's time to get to work.
"The world's not always easy, and I don't think it should be easy here," their teacher explained.
At R-R-MR High School, Darla Pyle's reputation precedes her. She's the teacher who will give the straight-'A' student their first 'B'.
"She grades really hard because she expects a lot out of us," said student Nate Staudt.
Mrs. Pyle admitted she doesn't mind the title of toughest teacher - as long as her kids recognize the reason behind the wrath.
"They should learn what their potential is, and they should push themselves. So I push them," she said.
Staudt realizes, "she wants us to do our best so we can do good in college."
When you're in tenth grade, college feels like a million years away. But Mrs. Pyle knows those years creep up quickly. So she's preparing her students for post-secondary success.
Mrs. Pyle said, "when they get to college, I don't want them to ever say, 'what?' or 'never heard of that.' I want them to say, 'okay, I can do this.'"
Year after year, Mrs. Pyle's kids live up to her high expectations.
"I can't teach them everything, cause I don't know what the world wants from them. But I can at least teach them to be confident that they can do whatever is put in front of them," she remarked.
Her students said if they can succeed in Mrs. Pyle's class, they can get through anything. But they also have a secret for R-R-MR ninth-graders already shaking in their boots.
Tenth grader Shellby Putney confessed, "I don't think she's really all that tough!"
