It was my first day on the job. For almost eight hours thirty screaming first-graders would be entirely my responsibility. I had spent all night preparing my lesson plan, I ironed my nicest suit, and I even got a pep talk from one of my old teachers. Still, nothing could prepare me for the nightmare that I walked into. Not one of the students listened to a word I said—it took me almost an hour to get them all seated and quiet. They could tell that I was new, and they made minced meat out of me. 10. What is the author’s purpose in this paragraph?