When I was running BYUStyle (best blogging days of my life!), The Beard came up with the concept for a blogging series called “Sometimes, Always, Never.” I thought it was great, but the post I wrote never got published and then we fizzled with graduating. But I’m going to do it now!
I live in the town where I teach. It has it’s drawbacks. In fact, one of our teachers is leaving to teach at another school because he doesn’t like to teach where he lives. I’ve lived here my whole life, so it isn’t as big of a deal, but there is the inconvenience of often seeing my kids outside of school.
There are good and bad scenarios to being a teacher outside of the school walls.
Here’s when I like being seen as a teacher in the real world:
SOMETIMES
When I see my students at the mall or in restaurants. We usually exchange smiles and a quick wave. Or if they don’t see me I pretend to not see them. Visa versa, probably. Not a huge deal. SOMETIMES weird if they are weird about it. Whatever.
ALWAYS
Tuesday night when we were at Magleby’s for our romantic little Valentine’s date, I ran into a mom of one of my students. We communicate frequently about his progress and we’ve become friends. She was so happy to see me and quickly pulled her husband over to meet me, and took the time to meet and introduce her husband to The Beard as well. After the issues with parents at the beginning of this term, it was really nice to see good, happy parents who appreciate teachers. That will ALWAYS be welcome.
NEVER
The day before Thanksgiving, 10 pm, I’m in the kitchen making desserts to take to our double duty Thanksgiving festivities. I realize that I need more cream cheese for the mini-cheesecakes and we need to run to Reams super quick. How do I look?
Hair in a messy top knot (not in the chic way, but in the “I’m cooking” way.)
Oversized Star Wars t-shirt, hitting about mid-thigh
Black leggings. Probably with some flour fingerprints.
Boots, NOT Uggs. Let the record show that I was NOT wearing Uggs.
10 pm makeup – probably smudged or disappearing.
As I climb out of the car at Reams, I hear it. The dreaded:
“Dude. Isn’t that your TEACHER?”
Two kids chillin on skateboards, drinking their Mountain Dew spot me and yell “Hey, Mrs. Holdaway! What are you doing? Cool Star Wars shirt? Is this your husband?” and who knows how many other things.
I was ambushed, you guys. I don’t expect junior high kids to be out at 10:30 pm in public by themselves. I looked FANTASTIC obviously. So that’s when it’s NEVER ok to be a teacher outside of school. Basically just when I look like a WoW nerd in public.
One thought on “It’s Like Seeing A Dog Walk On It’s Hind Legs!”
Love the title of this post. Also, this post.