Manly Chick?
I teach middle school, also known as the land of the chemically imbalanced, hormonally goofy 11 to 14 year-olds and people often wonder why I chose such a path. Truth is, it keeps me young. My days are NEVER the same and middle-schoolers will say anything. Just yesterday I was thoroughly amused at one comment from a male student. Let me set the stage…
I was teaching a lesson on rational numbers (for those of you mathematically challenged people, you need not know what they are to continue reading). My kids were working on an activity with a partner and one pair (a boy and a girl) finished quickly. So, I checked their work and asked them to be my graders, to walk around checking others’ work, helping as needed. I was also still checking work…
Me (to a male student): Have I checked your paper?
Student: No.
Me: Well, let me do that.
Student: I want the chick to do it. (pointing at the girl grader)
Me: (Laughing a little) I’m a chick.
Student: You’re a manly chick.
Me: (Grinning) A manly chick? What do you mean?
Student: You have muscles.
Me: (Still grinning, starting to laugh) What, a chick can’t have muscles?
Student: I’ve never seen a chick with muscles.
Me: So that makes it wrong?
Student: It’s just weird.
Me: You mean different?
Student: Yeah, different.
I went back to grading and some of the students continued to discuss my muscles, something that continues to amuse me. Honestly, I’m just glad I can expose them to something most of them have never seen before. And, who knows? Maybe one of my girl students will decide to follow in my footsteps and hit the weights as she gets older. Now THAT would be cool!
October 27, 2007 at 8:44 am
HA! It is amazing how generation after generation, women are not suppose to have muscles
I know some of the young ladies in your school are looking at you as a role model.
Shannon, I hope the school year is treating you well so that you can continue to train hard. -Jeff
October 27, 2007 at 8:56 am
Absolutely! Wierd, heck no! Maybe uncommon, sure. It was always great in high school when the football coach’s daughter could out squat most of the guys. Hopefully they’ll see it as an example of a good healthy lifestyle. Heck, he might just come in with a "My chic teacher can beat up your dad" T-shirt!
October 27, 2007 at 10:52 am
Wow! IMO that is one of the greatest compliments one could ever receive!!! WTG!!!!!
November 10, 2007 at 5:25 pm
This is really great! I hope to make the same difference with the students that I work with. The boys can’t understand WHY I would ever want muscles ‘like a dude’ and the girls wonder why I eat the way that I do. You have definitely planted a seed with a alot of girls, I’m sure!!!