KP’s Teacher Tales #1: A Blessing and a Curse

Photo taken @ the UN Headquarters in New York

My students call me KP. I told them it’s not exactly “respectable” and they should probably stop, but only half-heartedly because I actually love that they gave me a nickname.
I care about them, a lot. I am one of those teachers that refers to the students as “my kids”. Yep. One of those.

I take them on Model UN field trips 3 times a year. I’ll do a whole post about the magic of MUN, but for now I just want to complain for a quick minute.

Here I am at the real UN General Assembly. Just me though. If I had of taken students I would have made them take my picture rather than taking a selfie.

I don’t look very old, even though I’m not that young. Hint: if this was 100 years ago I would be past marriageable age.
Because I don’t look aged, I am mistaken for a student at every conference I go to. It’s a fun game for my kids to guess when and where this will happen.

Efforts to age it up include pearls, lipstick and houndstooth patterns

This weekend it’s occurred multiple times, but the most thrilling was when I was waiting for the elevator and a group of naughty teenagers were speaking in a way that is only okay in the confines of your home, or like... online gaming.
I gave them a “stop that” teacher look, to no avail. I’ll practice it in the mirror later.
The following exchange then occurred:
“You should really watch your language”
Naughty students glare at me.
“What school are you from?”
Naughty students mumble something and continue glaring.
“Well I have to say you’re really not representing your school well.”
*One naughty student gets the idea and apologizes, while other continues to glare. I’m now worried her face will get stuck like that. *
“And I’m a teacher.”
Less naughty student almost begins crying and apologizes profusely, other student continues making poor facial choices.

That was it. Luckily we weren’t subsequently in the same elevator. That would have been, as the kids say, hella awkward.