Recognition

Substitute teaching is thankless work most of the time, but I'd be amiss to say I don't get any recognition for it. Two girls in Whole Foods, when I worked over the summer, recognized me from a middle school class. When I volunteered for Every 1 Reads, one of my student's classmates told me he had seen me at Kroger. Later, I saw my student himself at Kroger.

I was out bowling last night with my girlfriend and some friends, and I was found out again. Spotted. Caught being more than just a teacher. A few minutes after we took our lane, a little girl whose family was in the next lane walked over to me, her father just a few steps behind, and asked what grade I teach. I explained to her that I'm a sub and teach all grades, and her father explained to me, in turn, that she had seen me at Klondike Elementary. "Oh yeah," I said, "I was there last week. Third grade. It was a good day--good school." And that was all.

Personally, I think it's good for kids to see teachers outside of school, outside of the context of our jobs. It reminds them that we're people, that we have lives outside of and away from their perception of us. It didn't worry me that this girl, who wasn't even my student the day I subbed at her school but could have--in theory--been any student I have ever had or will have, saw me out with my friends with tattoos and stretched ears. I didn't care that she saw the chain on my wallet or the big skull on the back of my heavy metal t-shirt. I had no beer (contrary to the spirit of bowling, I know), but even that would not have bothered me.

I just hope she didn't notice what a completely awful bowler I am.