Surprising my students

I ate dinner with another ALT tonight & 2 of my female students came in to eat at the same place. When we met at the drink bar, the girls asked who I was with. I explained my friend is the ALT at the junior high school in town & happens to also be from Minnesota (yay!). My funny, sweet girls told me they thought maybe she was my sister! Personally, I don't think the ALT & I look similar, but perhaps like many Westerners think all Japanese look identical, these girls think all people with white skin look the same :)


On my way home after subbing at an adult English lesson I stopped at a store to get a drink (it's still in the 80s here). I was taking a big swallow of tea next to my bike & heard my name...it was one of my 2nd year students! I've seen him a couple times outside of school & he's really a doll (can i use that word for a guy?). He loves Shakespeare & wants to be an actor. His English isn't very good, but he's a good kid & usually tries hard.


I love how surprised my students are to see me outside of school. When I was in high school I remember seeing my teachers around town & thinking, "WOW. They grocery shop, go to movies, and eat at restaurants too!?" I think it's hard for students to imagine or realize that their teachers have lives outside the school walls. And now, as a teacher, shocking students with reality proves very entertaining!