Chaos Reigns... But Its Not So Bad

[darkeyes]

Yesterday mornin Kate ran me 2 school... wosn much outa er way so it wosn a prob.. outsida the gates we chatted jus for a min bout stuff as ya do..'er shoppin list for me on way 'ome for starters..an as we always do we had lil kissie an a huggle an she drove off...

Hadn sed owt 2 ne 1 at school bout me partner cept the bare bones an a lil bout the kids.. hadn sed me partner wos a woman cos it has neva been summat me has shuvved down peeps throats.. they ask thats ok.. but its not a secret an am not ashamed of 'er or wot me is..

Well..3 days in an by the time me had got 2 classroom every kid in the place seemed 2 kno.. an at break time the famed "awkward" silence greeted me as me sauntered inta the staff room for a nice refreshin cuppa afta a sumwot stressful an riotous period.. the kinda silence ya get wen ya knos peeps hav been talkin boutcha.. by the time the break had finished all seemed sweetness an lite..no 1 seem 2 botha cept a cuppla the olda staff who shuffled decidedly unhappily wen they asked 2 get past me 2 the door.. an 1 nasty sod who jus pushed by me as if me wosn ther.. but mos acted zif me wos jus a normal human bein no diff from ne 1 else.. an so ta 2 them...

The kids suprised me tho.. its a school in an area fulla urban deprivation..hasn got the gr8est reputation.. an wer no gay person wud wander bout alone if they hav ne sense. Hardly is top rank.. got lotsa giggles, furtive looks.. an the lil huddles wen they so obviously rabbittin 2 each otha boutcha.. but it wosn till afta lunch wen sum lil cow asked me the question str8 up... "Yes Mary I am" said I.."now can we get on an do what we are here for??" She shrugged, the class broke inta childish giggles an a few gasps.. she made a face an the floodgates wer open.. questions abounded an ther wos for a few mins absolute chaos as we (the propa teacher an me) struggled 2 get control a the lil so n so's.. fended off the inevitable questions an curiosity, genuine 1s or no an did manage 2 calm the lil buggas down.. the lesson for wich me had meticulously planned an spent so long on proceeded..not wivout incident.. but no more or less than ya wud expect wer me a heterosexual woman livin wiv a bf wiv 2 kids...

Did get told off by the Head for admittin 2 owt bout me pvt life 2 kids this early.. evidently the seemly thing 2 do wos say "we are here for u 2 learn not to talk about me".. God.. an wot wud that hav achieved?? Still wos dun an still think it wos rite thing 2 do..

Its a day an a bit now..still early days.. an me has always worried bout kids reactions 2 me sexuality cosa me choice a career.. neva bout staff.. can handle them ok.. but kids me cares bout an its ther lives me tryin 2 help...an so the last thing me wonted wos bein hamstrung by summat wich reely is me own an no 1 elses affair.. but so far.. fingies x'd.. its been ok... its still hell..an kids r testin me as they wud ne new fully qualified teacher far less a defenceless lil student who don kno 'er arse from 'er elbow wen it cums 2 teachin.. an won reely eva kno me don think till me has spent time fully qualified an gets experience a doin the job on me own.. disruption abounds an its fukkin chaos in so many ways... but am not gettin stress from the lil sods cos me is gay..yeaa lil sure, cos ther r sum nasty lil buggas who hav been less than pleasant bout it..thats the waya the world am afraid...but mostly am gettin it cos me is looked on as the oppositionan the person in authority..in much the same way as me looked on teachers wen me wos at school.. an that me lufflies..makes me rite proud a those kids an gives me hope for em an for us..

Wotch this space... mite still all go rat arsed..but for 2 day..mosta me worst fears hav gone regardin at least 1 aspect of me chosen career.. an am much more optimistic that in the end..it will all b ok... bout wetha me ne gud at the job is ne 1's guess.. now thats outa the way tho..me can concentrate on findin that out an learnin 2 do wot me sposed 2..

[csrakate]

Oh Fran, sorry you're having to deal with this so early in your career. But goodness, kids today don't seem to hesitate to ask whatever comes to mind....pretty hard for someone my age to conceptualize...I mean, just seeing your teacher at the grocery store was a major eye popping event, "What are they doing here???"...like we didn't think they ever left school, much less go out and get food for themselves! What I am saying is that we never gave much thought to their lives outside of school, nor did we really seem to care. To some extent, it would be so much easier for you if things were that way today. As long as you are a good teacher, and something tells me you are, then it shouldn't matter one iota what you do in your private life.

That being said, there is a fine line between being judged for your merits and not your personal life AND divulging details that your students don't need to know in the quest for total honesty. I think you handled the situation perfectly!! You were honest but you drew the line where it needed to be drawn, regained control of your classroom and proceeded to do the job that you were there to do. Yes there will be giggles and looks, but kids are kids and they have attention spans no longer than your little finger. Soon they will put this aside and simply see you as the "scrawny lil lass" that they saw you as before. (sorry....just had to add that, I think you're luffly LOL...). Until then, keep doing what you're doing. You are showing them by example that you are not any different from anyone else and that your sexuality doesn't make you a topic for unnecessary discussion. As for the handful of your fellow teachers who treated you with a bit of disdain....Karma is a bitch and hopefully it will someday bite them in their judgmental asses.

Hugs,
Kate aka Mumsy:bigrin:

[Doggie_Wood]

Fran - even if me is a "rat-bag" (NOT!) me still loves ya cause Scotts got that way bout dealing wiv stuff, n'matta what it is. I'm poud of ya and I know in my heart 'o hearts that you've made the right choice and direction for you, kate and the the younge'ns. Keep 'a pluggin luffy.

Best to ya love - kotc :kiss:

:doggie:

[darkeyes]

Aww ta mumsy..wetha me ne gud time will tell.. if not will jus becum a porn star.. or mayb even a posh tart.. well.. havta earn a crust sum how.. tee hee:tongue:

An Doggie u lufly an all.. gladyas poud a me.. tee hee.. that sum sorta freakie wish or summat?? Will try an liv up 2 the pide ya hav in me tho...:tong:

.. an now... big thing 2 think bout... will me havta change me behaviour wen pubbin an clubbin??? R the Fran nites out gonna get less wild cosa 'er sensa responsibility 2 'er charges quite few a whom not only look old enuff 2 go 2 the Fran hotspots...but sevral R old enuff...:eek: Scary... think its the Derby 'n Joan Club for me from now on....:(

[FerSureMaybe]

:huggles fran:

[Cherokee_Mountaincat]

Frannie, I tutored college aged students who had physical and mental disabilities for a few years after leaving the Veterans Administration, and believe me, I'd Much rather have the kids!!!!! lol
We had a couple of gay students, and to us they were just normal, everyday people...we didnt look at their sexual preference, we saw The Person. (as it should Always be)
The novelity and insecurity will wear off in time, hon. And if the "old" buggers dont like you, then its They're loss. If they cant take the time to know what a "Luffy Tart" you truely are..then ta hell wif em..lol
Huggies
Cat

[CuddlyKate]

I have never had any fear of her dealings with colleagues Cat. She knows precisely how to handle them at the workplace. Nor have I any for her dealing with children individually or in small groups for she is very good with children of all ages. My concern has always been the volatility which can be born out of a deep feeling of frustration with a large group of kids which threatens to get out of hand or who don't want to listen or learn. It is something she will have to learn how to deal with and with time and experience I am sure she shall.

[HighEnergy]

When I was in a catholic high school (graduated in '83), it was common knowledge that the head of the English department and the girls gym teacher lived together, not far from the school. Yes, there was some twittering about the lesbian gym teacher looking at us in the showers, but other than that, not much was said about it.

I do hope that everything goes well for you, Fran. I hope you become the fantastic teacher you want to be, and a great example for those kids who might be growing up glbt. They need good role models of folks living out and married.

[Hephaestion]

Dear Frances,

I agree with Kate that you chose the best course of action. I express my distaste for the reaction of the older staff member who pushed past you. It has worked in reverse for me when one gay member of staff slammed the door in my face.

What you may find in the long run is that the occasional student will come to you for discreet advice. That will be a challenge as you may or may not be being baited. Don't get rat arsed and keep your wits about you.

Warm regards
Heph