Many of you gave very positive feedback on one of my most frustrating posts I ever wrote, “I Can’t Save Everyone” from my third year of teaching.
I never knew how that troubled (and troubling) student turned out, but I do know his doppelganger is in one my AP English classes right now. It is one of the strangest experiences; they could be twins – looks, build, even the same glasses and – even in our school uniform – style of dress. I had almost a visceral reaction when he came into my room the first day of school, and I have to keep reminding myself that he’s a really good kid, and that I have no reason to think ill of him just because he looks like a ghost of my past! Surely other teachers have dealt with something similar; I have a lot of siblings of last year’s students this year too as freshmen, which is also an odd phenomenon. I try hard not to say, “Oh yes, Peter’s brother!” knowing how annoyed my own brother was growing up as “Lizzy’s brother,” but it’s hard not to associate the two.
Another teacher problem: naming my own children, when so many names now have students associated with them in my memory. I think that’s why so many of my friends are leaning toward old-fashioned names (my peers have birthed Henriettas and Gretas and Adelines and Wendys and Madelines lately) – fewer name associations 🙂 Hopefully when we get confirmation in a few weeks of the gender we can narrow down a name, more for Spartacus’ sake than ours; he prays for “Baby” every night but I think a name would be nicer for him.
We are halfway through the first full week of school…I’m having a blast, but I’m also falling asleep on Hubster at 8:45 PM every night…but at least I didn’t try to prego fail anyone today!
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