Ender's first practice with Dragon Army

Ender is given command of Dragon Army, a new army composed of young and inexperienced soldiers. He immediately begins training them, emphasizing the importance of the enemy's gate being down and teaching them to use their legs as shields. He singles out Bean, a small and brilliant boy, and uses him as an example, which creates resentment but also motivates the others. Ender's training methods are unconventional, focusing on flexibility and individual initiative rather than rigid formations. He works his army hard, and they begin to show promise.