We've all heard of the mother's curse, "I hope one day you have a kid who acts just like you," but did you know there is also a teacher's curse? Although most of my students have liked me, I certainly would not be so vain as to claim that I've pleased all of them. In fact, I had one little stinker years ago who absolutely despised me.
I'm not sure what I ever did to make her hate me so much. Perhaps it had to do with her having problems with her mother, who I was friendly with, or maybe it was that she was so gifted that I struggled to meet her needs. Whatever the mystery reason, this girl had it out for me unlike any student I've ever taught.
Now you might be thinking, No. She didn't really hate you, you just think she did, but I assure you, this child hated me enough that I had multiple conversations with her parents about how she hated me and the mystery as to why. Even her siblings would go out of their way to be kind to me just to aggravate her. She was also a sly one who was usually passively aggressive in class just enough to bend the rules without breaking them. For example, she once asked me if the dress I was wearing was one I'd worn when I was pregnant. She knew what she was doing!
I don't see most of my students outside of class, but her family tended to run in the same circles as us, so I was always and forever running into her around town. When seeing me outside of school, she would literally fling her nose in the air and walk by, no matter how her parents tried to persuade her to say, "Hello."
I ran into this beautiful, young woman about a year ago. Although she took my order at Starbucks, I didn't recognized her. She told me who she was and wanted to know how I was doing. Plus, she acknowledged and apologized for having been a nasty child. She went on to tell me how she too is now a teacher. She teaches math at an inner city high school. Knowing about her teaching situation, I really didn't need to place a curse on her. I'm sure she gets much worse than she gave me. What goes around comes around. I do, however, wish her the best.
I'm not sure what I ever did to make her hate me so much. Perhaps it had to do with her having problems with her mother, who I was friendly with, or maybe it was that she was so gifted that I struggled to meet her needs. Whatever the mystery reason, this girl had it out for me unlike any student I've ever taught.
Now you might be thinking, No. She didn't really hate you, you just think she did, but I assure you, this child hated me enough that I had multiple conversations with her parents about how she hated me and the mystery as to why. Even her siblings would go out of their way to be kind to me just to aggravate her. She was also a sly one who was usually passively aggressive in class just enough to bend the rules without breaking them. For example, she once asked me if the dress I was wearing was one I'd worn when I was pregnant. She knew what she was doing!
I don't see most of my students outside of class, but her family tended to run in the same circles as us, so I was always and forever running into her around town. When seeing me outside of school, she would literally fling her nose in the air and walk by, no matter how her parents tried to persuade her to say, "Hello."
I ran into this beautiful, young woman about a year ago. Although she took my order at Starbucks, I didn't recognized her. She told me who she was and wanted to know how I was doing. Plus, she acknowledged and apologized for having been a nasty child. She went on to tell me how she too is now a teacher. She teaches math at an inner city high school. Knowing about her teaching situation, I really didn't need to place a curse on her. I'm sure she gets much worse than she gave me. What goes around comes around. I do, however, wish her the best.
10 comments:
I do believe in what goes around, comes around. But I have hope for her - she has recognised how wrong her behaniour was and apologised for it. Good for her!
Loved this story. I've been teaching for many years. The biggest challenge I every had was a little boy in my class, who I swear was trying to vaporize me with his eyes all year. On the last day of school he threw himself into my arms in tears and said he didn't want the year to end. Go and figure.
Did you ever find out why? I was unaware of the teacher's curse. Excellent story though. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks to all for the comments. I don't know for sure why she hated me, but I swam with her Mom, who she also hated at the time, so maybe she saw me as an extension of her. Another possibility is that she was just soooo highly gifted that I always struggled to make her work difficult enough to challenge her. Perhaps she felt that I let her down by not challenging her enough. Another possibility is that she loved a teacher who was extremely strict. Maybe I was too laid back for her personality and she wanted someone more structured. No telling. On a final note, I left her class on maternity leave for a few months and her mom told me she hated the sub even more than she hated me. LOL.
Maybe she hated you because . . just kidding. We can't please everyone. Pretty cool that she apologized though and it sounds like the universe gave her the curse. Speaking of giving, I bestow upon you the Versatile Blogger award. Stop by my post (linked to my name) for your award (and to see the rules, which you can ignore if you want)
You know Joyce, I think she trusted you enough to be a nasty child. She acted out with you because she knew you could handle it and it met some need for her.
It says a lot that she then became a teacher. And it's pretty cool that she apologized to you.
A great story!
(BTW- I tried to come visit last week, but the internet goblins were up to no good and I couldn't access your blog.)
No telling. Thanks for the thoughts. I guess this will be the tenth mystery of my world.
Karma. You can't escape it no matter how far you run lol.
PS I voted for you :)
Thanks, Dafeenah!
Hi Joyce,
Thanks so much for stopping by. I hope that you are still far from the flooding. What a mess for your friends and for your town.
I enjoyed this post a lot. That was nice that she apologized to you. I hate it when people don't like me and I don't know why, but I guess that you can't please everybody. It must have been a hard year for you!
I see that you are an A-Z'er too ... great job on completing the challenge. Oh, I've never heard of the Childrens Lit. Institute; I'm going to look that up.
Have a great week!
Kathy M.
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