"Aren't you too shy to be a teacher?" (An introverted teacher's perspective.)
On more than one occasion, someone I sort of know, but not very closely, has asked me the above question. Sometimes, it's worded a little differently. 1. "You're a quiet person. How does that work, exactly?" 2. "I can't imagine you in a room full of kids." 3. "Do you have a hard time getting them to listen to you?" My responses: 1. "It works like this: I teach, they learn." 2. "You don't have to imagine it; I do it daily." 3. "Sometimes, but that's because I'm fairly new at it and not because I'm shy." I also frequently add, "I'm not afraid of kids...In case that's what you're picturing in your head." The truth is, during the school year, I rarely feel like my being an introvert is a handicap. The only week when I feel it like a devil on my shoulder, shouting "you don't fit in this profession" is during Professional Development week, when almost all of the ...