The Honeymoon is Over

“Wow! You’re only 26!” That was just one of the sweet utterances I heard from my students this week. I think it is safe to say the honeymoon is over. The students and I have grown past polite pleasantries and onto exchanging more realistic teacher-student banter. During a lesson on inferences, I asked the students what the relationship is between the baby and Madame Roulin in Van Gogh’s famous painting. An argument ensued regarding whether Madame Roulin was the baby’s mother or grandmother. In an effort to steer the class into a discussion on Van Gogh’s style and the lack of facial detail I took a risk and asked, “Well, how can you tell, that I am not your age? What makes me look older?” I know, I know. I really set myself up for something special.

A couple of students gave me the givens, “We know you are older because we call you Teacher,” and “You’re taller than us.”

And then one brave and intuitive student raises their hand to add, “We know you are older because you have…uh, I mean, other people have, older people have wrinkles on their face.” This child is brilliant. To catch a social faux pas, no matter how invited, mid thought and successfully correct themselves is just astounding. She won my heart that day. Though she lost it the next when she interrupted guided reading to ask who farted.