Teacher Face

As I begin thinking about transitioning into my new job in a few months, I can't help but be a little worried. As a foster care worker, I have had minimal time with my teenagers. After most encounters with my teens, I am left feeling as if I am the singularly most funny human being to them. Granted this is a very self important assumption that I have any role in their life or even merit thinking about. More that if these kids do manage to think of their goofy case manager, the first thing to come to mind is just this- goofy ;).

I've been told I'll most likely be teaching high school special education and so I'm guessing I will now have a class of at least ten teenagers. I'm baffled at the task of convincing them to take me serious. I have struggled my whole life to get most people that come into contact with me seriously, and convincing teens of this seems to be a daunting task even to the most structured and established teachers.

While I wrinkle my brow in worry over the anticipation of my new classroom, the worry is somewhat alleviated by a very humorous issue. The thought of being strict with my future students always brings two very humorous thoughts to mind. The first thought being the song "Teacher Face". During my internship with Teach for America, some corps members cleverly changed the words to "Poker Face" to "Teacher Face" along with some other witty lyrics I can't remember. As my brain starts singing "I'm gonna put on my my my Teacher Face.. my Teacher Face... ", my mind always drifts to a picture that the ever so talented Kyle Williams took of me when he suckered me and my roommates Erin and Devin into being in a Charlie's Angels themed photo shoot. So for all of you out there concerned about me teaching in the inner city schools of Memphis, TN, please picture this photo. I'm hoping it will leave you crying with laughter and squelch your worries, as it does for me!