My Teacher is HUMAN?!

Hi, I'm a teacher. I sleep under my desk when you're not there. My body shuts down when you leave for the day. I have absolutely no life until you grace me with your presence. I do not eat nor sleep and I don't care for any other human being in the world but you. I don't laugh or cry, I am certainly not funny, and I never had a childhood. I came into this world as a teacher, and I am nothing else.

I think my first name is Mrs.

I attempt to let my students know that, in fact, I am a real human being. (GASP!)  I talk about my favorite things, my family, my husband, hobbies, what I do on the weekends.. they even know my first name. (Probably because they see it written on a latte cup every now and then, as I don't tell the baristas, "Mrs. J" when they ask for my name. That would be weird.)

I thought (oddly enough) that they knew I was more than a teacher. Apparently not.

I changed into workout gear before I left school for the day. I left about 20 minutes after the bell rang in workout pants and a top. One of my students happened to see me as I was leaving.

 "MRS. J?? WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!?!"

"Leaving for the day. I am going to workout at the gym." (I have told the class I do this sometimes after school.)

"But... but... [splutter.. stutter.. gasping noises] OH. MY. GOSH."

"Have a good weekend!"

As I continue to walk, I hear her say to her friend, "THAT WAS MY TEACHER! OH MY GOSH!"

Of course, it's easy to judge. How do my students think I am not a human being just like them?

But how easy is it to forget that we do the exact same things as adults..

"STARS! They're just like US!"