I wondered how long it would take before my students started speculating about my "condition."
Apparently, not long.
Today, on two separate occasions, students (all girls) called me over during seat work and, none-too-timidly, asked the question: "Are you pregnant?"
Granted, my choice of outfit probably prompted some of it: I was wearing an empire-waisted shirt that puffed out a little bit in the front ... And my belly has seemingly "popped" overnight (maybe it was all the Easter food on Sunday) ... But I was still slightly surprised by all the unwanted attention.
If I have learned one thing as a educator in the past two years, it is that there is a wall that must stay firmly in place between teacher and student. Without it, students get the false impression that you are their buddy, an older friend that divulges intimate life details ... That can (obviously) not be the case! With these kids craving attention and, oftentimes, that connection with an adult that they can trust, the wall can become faulty, crack, and fall, challenging and sometimes eliminating all professionalism from the teacher/student relationship.
It's a strange little balance to strike ... One that I hadn't realized would be affected by my pregnancy.
Obviously, the students that ask and wonder will get their answer (either directly or indirectly) because my body is changing. I am getting a little bit rounder in the midsection. I suppose I'm lucky that I got this far without any scrutiny ... I successfully bypassed any suspicion due to morning sickness (I didn't have any) for the first three months.
I don't want to go up in front of the class and make a big announcement, but I don't want to be like one of those celebrities that denies her pregnancy when she's as round as a beach ball, either.
Ha!
I just compared myself to a celebrity ... If only I made that much money!
1 year ago
