Look the Part

On Wednesdays, I wear my glasses so I can read the board when helping with grade 3.  I don't teach many kids on Wednesdays, so not many non-grade-3 kids see me with the glasses on.  This 11-yr-old girl obviously hadn't seen them before.

Girl: You...'ve got glasses.
Me: Yep.
Girl: Everyone is getting glasses.
Me: Are you getting them?
Girl: No.  My eyesight is really great.  Unlike my mum's, and my dad's...
Me: Well, I was the last person in my family to get them.
Girl [shocked]: What?!?! Really?  Oh...  Anyway, you look like a real teacher now. [She gasped.  I smiled.  She tried to backpedal].  Oh no!  I mean... I mean... You know...
Me: I know what you mean.  It's just the way it came out.
Girl: It's just... You look like, oh, you know, like, um... [she then gave a demonstration of a teacher in front of a slightly rowdy class].
Me [smiling]: Ah... Yes... 
Girl: More serious.  That's it.
Me: You think?  I'm feeling like I look like a crazy lady today.
Girl: Are you kidding?!  You look even more like a teacher in that outfit, all professional in the jacket, and the blue, and the white, and the... blue... and the ... grey... [looks up and grins]
Me: Well, thank you.

And every time I wrote something, she'd say "You look all serious again!" like this was a new trick I'd learned.  I hope she'll still take me seriously when I'm not wearing the glasses.

Dealing With Ballet

It took me many years to realise that many students thought they were relaxed when they were anything but.  And then I realised that most of these girls (yes, girls) were also ballet girls.  There is no relaxation for these girls.  Today, I had a very enthusiastic 11-yr-old dancer trying to convince me she was as relaxed as she could be.

Girl: That is relaxed.
Me: ...Ummm... I can't move your hand at all.  That's not relaxed.
Girl: It's - it's because of ballet!  It's just - ugh.  I can't do relaxed.
Me [with a lightbulb moment]: Oh... Of course.  Can you just... pretend... that ballet doesn't exist...?  Or just ... forget everything you've learned there...?
Girl: Um, not really.  No.  [brightening] Unless you want to talk to my ballet teacher?
Me: Ah, okay. 
Girl [thoughtful]: Ooh.  But - you'd have to wear a business suit.
Me: Okay.
Girl: And high heels.
Me: Ye-
Girl: And more make up.  AND talk in a posh voice.
Me [starting to laugh]: Um, okay.  [posh voice] I think I can manage that.
Girl [enthusiastically]: That was great!  Okay, that should work.

Of course, she didn't tell me the dance teacher's name.  But from how much I know from this girl's life, I should be able track down this teacher.