Recently, I’ve let my second grade students down because
they have some crazy life expectations for me. I thought their expectations
were really funny, and it just shows what crazy ideas they have about adults.
When I first got to my classroom, some of the students were really
disappointed that I wasn’t married. (Maybe because I couldn’t tell them funny
stories about my husband like my teacher does?) After we returned from Spring
Break, one of my students asked if I was married now. I told her that I was not
married. She gave me a look like, “You were gone a whole week…why didn’t you get
married,” before telling me, “You should at least get a boyfriend.”
Earlier this week, I was talking to one of my students about
the day that I was leaving. She asked if I was coming back to the school next
year. I told her that I was going home to Wisconsin. She said, “Oh, you’re
going home to be a mom.” No, no I am not. I realized afterwards that a lot of
her teachers leave the school and stay at home for a while when they have
babies, so her comment made sense. However, I thought it was really funny that
she expected me to have a baby in a month because I’m going home.
I'm dying. Because you know, a week is definitely long enough to get a husband. My kids are always asking me if I have kids. I have told them plenty of times that I do not and I am not married. I was in a first grade placement once and this little boy asked me a whole slew of questions like that. The interaction went like this:
ReplyDelete"Ms. Valkos, how old are you?
"I'm 20."
"Do you have kids."
"Nope."
"Are you married."
"Nope."
"Do you have a boyfriend?"
"Nope."
"Good."
I was like GOOD?!? who are you my keeper? But they are all waay too funny.
Hahahaha I love this! I love the crazy way kids want to meddle in your lives! Nicole, I had a kid say "Good" about me not having a tattoo once. That was funny.
ReplyDeleteAnd Heather, I think part of the reason the kids get so hung up on us having kids is that their parents are actually not that much older than us...I know, scary. One of my girls' moms is 21. Another is 24. And when you think about the fact that their kids are 5 years old it's even scarier. So it's not actually that unrealistic for them to think we have kids, given their home situation.
I also have a similar goofy story. I wanted to tell my kids that I was not going to be present in the afternoon because I had an interview for a teaching position. When they asked where I was going, I said I was going to look for a job as a real teacher. First, they said "but you are a real teacher" and then I told them I wanted to get my own classroom. They didn't really understand, but were appeased. Immediately, the next day they all asked me: "are you a teacher now?" Eventually I just started saying yes because they didn't understand how going to an interview did not mean I was suddenly a teacher.
Hahah love this. My students were also very confused as to why I am not married as well. They also do not understand that I am not actually from here and will be returning to NY next year. They ask me, "why wouldn't you stay and teach us again?" Its so funny how students at this age have a very small conception of age and other people's lives. They know that they live in Nashville, so they do not understand why other people do not. The marriage part makes me laugh because I am surprised that they do not think I am younger because of my height. They must just associate the fact that a teacher is "old," and is therefore married.
ReplyDelete