Has anyone else ever been sterotyped because you're a teacher?

So I've been taking a creative writing class for the last two months. Each week we are supposed to turn in a chapter.

My story is kind of dark and twisted, but well written.

My classmates were totally into my story. Than, it came up in conversation that I was a teacher. Suddenly they were all like, "Oh my God, how can you teach second graders and write this kinda stuff?! It's really good, but geez. Shouldn't you be writing stuff like Junie B. Jones and Harry Potter?"

At first I was offended and thought, "Um, so because I teach second grade I'm supposed to be roses and sunshine all the time? I'm only allowed to write light hearted childrens books?"

Now I find it amusing and I guess I can see how it would be a little surprising.

I mean I was shocked when I saw one of my tough-as-nails, menancing administrators from high school at the supermarket with his boyfriend wearing a tank top and short shorts several years later. I have no issue against gay people, but it was totally the opposite of what you would expect from the type of administrator that had even the toughest boys shaking in their baggy jeans when he did a hall sweep.

Has anyone else ever been sterotyped because you're a teacher?

 

All of the time. And I hate it.

 

Everyone always assumes that I want to teach a class at Bible school every summer. I teach TEENAGERS. I have no clue what to do with kids younger than 12.

 

Last night, I went out for a friends birthday. I met a nice couple there, and we got to chatting. After mentioning what I did, I got two reactions...the first one was why was I at a bar and why was I with the group I was with (my best friend is 6 years younger than I am, and is, lets say eclectic). As if I'm supposed to stay home and grade papers all the time. The second thing is when they hear I'm a math teacher, they always make stupid jokes more along the lines of physics and engineering. HELLLLLOOOOOOOOOO, Math isn't just about those two applications. My specialty area is statistics, so no, I don't want to compute the amount of pressure required to suck the lemon out of the neck of a corona bottle, thank you very much.

 

ugh, exactly. i also hate when i make a mistake and people "jokingly" are like, "Are you SURE you teach second grade".

It's very irritating.

 

I actually get really annoyed at complete strangers all the time when I'm out with my best friend. I'm boring and uptight, a mom, a teacher, I wear "mom clothes", speak with near perfect grammar and converse intelligently on a huge variety of topics. My friend is single, a recovering drug addict, totally hip, covered in tatoos, owns and "adult" store, and is a part time teacher . That teacher thing is the only thing we have in common. She was actually my student the first year I taught for the college. She'd been through drug rehab and gotten her GED. She was in her last year at the community college (and graduated with highest honors). She went on to a major univeristy where she graduated cum laude with a bachelors in business. She bought the store that she worked at, then decided that she wanted to do something different, got her ed certification and now teaches math and business in the juvie prision part time. She actually gets stereotyped in the opposite direction. Nobody can believe she's a teacher.

 

Slightly off topic but still stereotyping... I got a really nice sewing machine for Christmas from my in-laws. I went to JoAnn's to ask some questions about it. There was only one older lady there and was totally ignored and blown off! I hate it! I'm only 23 so obviously I must just be wasting her time by asking questions because I couldn't possibly be interested in sewing! ( lots of sarcasm by the way!)

 

I get that all the time, and I'm 33. I go in looking for quilting stuff, and I get these looks that you wouldn't believe.

 

MMSW and Teaching -
For Christmas, I went to the jewelry counter at Macy's with two of my friends (we're all about 25. one of them has been married three years, has a two year old and is pregnant). We stood there forever and they kept ignoring us taking other, older customers.

I was really pissed. Finally, I forced someone to wait on us and made a pretty expensive purchase. I wanted to take my business elsewhere, but Mom really wanted those earrings.

 

When I went back to school to get my certification (6-12 language arts), my friends asked me if that meant I was going to only buy ugly, comfortable shoes now...:lol:

I mostly wear heels--I am only 5'4" so my seventh grade boys (and some girls) tower over me! No ugly shoes for me...and I have over 75 pairs!

 

Oh, Writer's Block-I'm so jealous! My mom and I were drooling over shoes this week while shopping (...every day....). When I get another job, I'm going to buy shoes. Lots of shoes. I can't wait. You're my inspiration.

 

I KNEW I liked you . I have almost 200 pairs of shoes, though most of them are ratty flip flops (I DO live in Miami, after all). I still have about 90-100 that are work/going out shoes and 15 or so that are just for going out. The rest are the ratty flip flops and sneakers.

 

Oops! I didn't count the flip flops or the tennis shoes! If I do that, I am probably pushing 125-ish. Thanks for reminding me, mmswm!

I am a shoe snob.

Jem, I am a 6 1/2 to 7 1/2, depending on what brand or designer...need to borrow any???:lol:

 

Sigh. Size 8.5 here. What a lovely offer, though.

It seems like there is always an excuse to wear my comfortable clogs, even though heels or boots would look nicer. 'I'm going to be on my feet all day.' 'I'm going to be taking the bus in today, and heels are dangerous.'

Boo.

When I worked at the office last spring, I wore heels all the time, and it was lovely.

 

I'm a 9 or a 9.5 depending. I do frequently borrow from one of my college students. I don't really NEED to borrow from her, but she's one of the few people I know with big feet who also has a wonderful shoe collection. We trade all the time.

Jem, I totally understand the comfy shoe thing. I have a couple pairs that I wear to the middle school all the time...loafers/clunky loafer type shoes, but then I change them to go to the college.

 

We went out of town for three days last week, and I took four pairs of shoes, and packed three each for my to children (who are still in diapers). My husband doesn't understand--at all!!!

 

lol...I understand, and at least one of my children understands. I swear this kid is either going to make some woman a great husband, or he's gay (speaking of sterotypes, since we've totally hijacked this thread.. He figure skates and takes ballet, he loves to cook, and he's a shoe snob. He can't wear just any ole pair of sneakers, it has to be "the right" ones.

 

Oh, and my uncle came into my bedroom to fix my toilet not too long ago. He now understands why they call me Imelda at the college . I have two 20 pair hanging racks and a 40 pair floor rack in one closet, and another 40 pair floor rack and 20 pair hanging rack in the other closet, then I have some of the rattier stuff thrown into a corner of the larger closet.

 

OMG...I am dying with laughter here!!!! Totally cracking up!

I used to be a figure skater, so I understand what you are thinking.

I keep thinking of the line from "Legally Blonde" at the end where she figures out the guy is gay when he says (something to the effect of) "last year's Pradas..."

 

That reminds me. One of my four pairs of shoes is starting to get a hole in the bottom of it. I should replace it soon.

 

Of course, he does say that he likes to go to the ice arena and the ballet studio cause "he's surrounded by super cute girls". This is a 7yo child. So, he's either a womanizer in the making, or he's gay. Or, I could get lucky and he'll make some undeserving tramp (defined as any girl who wants to date any of my sons), a wonderful husband.

 

How did he get into figure skating anyway? Just out of curiosity.

Sarge, come shopping with mmswm and me, and we will take very good care of you!!!

 

In 1986 I left the Air Force, broke up with a longtime girlfriend, moved to San Francisco and got a job at Macy's.

Only recently did I realize that my mom probably thought I was gay.

 

I want to get some boots. That way the soles won't wear through.

 

If my dh wasn't married to me, I'd think he was gay.

He planned our entire wedding, veto-ing my colors in favor of his, picking out the flowers and designing/making the invites and programs himself. Completely handmade, down to embossing the ink from the stamps.

He now picks out my clothes and tells me when I need to get my eyebrows waxed.

I guess some guys are just like that!

 

When he was 4 he saw a pairs skating program. He begged me to take him skating, so I thought, what the heck, there's an arena nearby and it's a fun activity. He took to it like a duck on water, and begged and begged and begged till I finally relented and let him take classes. When I asked him what he liked so much, he said, "Well, it's really fun, and if I practice really hard then I can throw a girl." So, there you have it. Why do young boys go into figure skating? So they can throw girls.

Of course, now we're at the point of 5 days a week of on-ice, off-ice, ballet, conditioning, and private lessons. He spends a total of about 20 hours a week between them, and his skates cost $3k a pop. Thank GOD I have sponsorship money for him, or I'd be screwed.

Sarge, I can see why your mom would have though that

 

My parents didn't have a sponsor for me. We basically lived at the arena...my brother played hockey and my dad coached and played. I used to skate before school and after school, and weekends were only about skating. It was my life for so many years. But I wouldn't trade it for a second.

I was paired with a guy for one season, but he was landing all of his doubles when I was still working on mine, so we weren't "compatible." I loved being thrown though! That was my favorite part of pairs skating.

Your son cracks me up!

 

He's a hoot. He's passed his pre-juvienile MIF test and is working on the AIM test. From there, he's probably going to hit a plateau, as men are expected to show more strength, speed and power, and he's only 7. We're expecting to have to have to wait for adolecence to hit before he goes much farther, but hey, look at how much time he'll have to perfect his technique

ETA: He's homeschooled, so that opens up the daytimes for him to practice. I moved to a part time position earlier this year with my middle school and still work for the college in the evenings. I plan the lessons and my mom does most of the teaching, then I go to work and she takes him to the ice arena. This way, we have family time on the weekends. He goes some weekends, but not frequently.

 

Oh, and he's an adorable, personable, photogenic and very hammish red-head. It was pretty easy to get local sponsors. I get about $10k/year for his training and competition expenses, though that doesn't cover all of it

 

So here's another stereotype that pissed me off lately...(not to hijack the hijack, but...)

I don't want to start something here, but seriously...a bit of background:

A "friend" of mine, I'm beginning to think, has a very unhealthy obsession with the presidential election. He is a very staunch Republican, and he found out that his 19 year old daughter voted for Obama, along with his retired in-laws, his loser brother-in-law, and his drug addicted sister-in-law. He is positively freaking about it, to the point where he brings it up constantly and very strangely ("What? You didn't scoop the sidewalk? You're so lazy, why don't you call your president to do it for you?" he said to his daughter recently. Who says things like that? I should mention that he also has a TBI from a motorcycle accident.)

Anyhoo, back to the stereotype...we were at a bar recently, and of COURSE, the stupid election comes up AGAIN. He tells me that of course I had to vote for Obama, my union told me to. And, you know, those who can, do, those who can't, teach. And if I wasn't scared of being in the real world, I would have a real job.

Did I say friend? I use that term loosely...

 

Do you have DSW near you? They are having their annual sale- I had a gift card last year and almost hyperventilated at the sale...so many shoes...so little closet space...

http://www.dsw.com/dsw_shoes/catalog/index.jsp

 

Ohhhhh, there's one a few minutes north of me....I think I can get another hanging rack in my closet....

 

Seriously- last year I had a $50 DSW gift card from a student...my first time at the sale- I was sitting with shoe boxes piled up next to me over my head...some of the shoes are 80% off!! EEK! I bought 3 pairs of black shoes alone- strappy sexy ones, pretty ones for dress up, and a patent leather pair of RALPH LAUREN tee-strap pumps== the Ralph ones were $20 (80% off...)..plus a fun pair of blue patent leather pumps (why not?) and a pair of snakeskin looking flats...I spent just a little more than the gift card...

 

Yes! That is so annoying. My mother does it.

 

I'm not that great at math. I get comments from my mom about how it's a good thing I only teach Kindergarten...funny...I taught HS physics a few years back.

 

Hey if that's what you like, go you! But I don't understand it. Why shoes? I have 4 pairs of shoes- sneakers, a dress sandal, a casual sandal and dress shoes. I guess slippers count too, so that's five. I can't imagine. I would rather buy a book or go see a movie than buy a new pair of shoes.

 

We're feeding Rosso! Just like when you are about to have glass of milk, CHECK THAT DATE!

 

As an assistant / paraprofessional, we are stereotyped more than anyone.

 

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The thread is 11 years old...!