The Truth About Teachers Pets

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“Miss, who’s your favourite?”

I get asked this question on a fairly regular basis and the official party line is that there are no favourites. I like all my students equally.

Now, let me share a little secret with you…that isn’t quite true.

Every now and then a pupil comes along who I develop a bit of a soft spot for.

Over the past twelve years there have been quite a few students who fall into this category:

  • The A-level student whose work was so amazingly neat (Paperchase notepad, answers highlighted and pre-marked) I photocopied it to show the rest of the class how it should be done.
  • The girl who after failing her first 3 A-level modules, sat in my store cupboard in floods of tears, but came back to get a D (this was such a huge achievement for her, I was so proud).
  • The girl who in my first term of teaching stood up and announced I was a crap teacher in front of the whole class. It took an awful lot of hard work to win her round but we ended up with a really great relationship.
  • The Year 7 boy who had dedicated each page of his planner to a different Lady Gaga outfit. What is not to love about that???

Sometimes a pupil falls into my Teachers Pet group because they are a pure delight to teach, sometimes it’s because I’ve had to battle with them and the fight has paid off, sometimes it’s because they have worked their socks off to achieve more than they thought they were capable off and sometimes it’s because they are just plain bonkers and make me laugh.

These are the students whose names I remember long after they have left. The ones who make me smile whenever I think of them.

So yes, I may have one or two favourites, but they will never know.

Because every pupil in my class will be treated exactly the same way.

Officially, there are never any favourites!

17 Comments

  1. November 4, 2014 / 7:59 am

    I love hearing teachers talk about their pupils it makes me wonder what mine think of me.
    During my A-Levels I had a whole band of teachers who kept me going, without whom I don’t think I would have even seen my last exam paper!
    I owe the world to them!
    But some where a piece of me think that they probably see me as that mad girl who they also regularly found crying on their store cupboard floor.
    Great post
    #Allaboutyou
    Claudia @ Enjoying Today recently posted…Looking Forward: Quote of the WeekMy Profile

    • November 4, 2014 / 9:56 am

      It was amazing, and he would talk me through each page. I was gutted when his head of year told him he had to cover it up!

  2. November 4, 2014 / 9:05 am

    I love this 🙂 I think in life we all have people we are more drawn to than others, for different reasons.
    I’m a social worker with people with dementia, and I kind of agree with your words – some families I just like more than others, and like you, for totally different reasons. Although I work just as hard for everyone and do my best for them all, some just stand out in my mind,
    Great post xx
    mylittledreamworld1 recently posted…Witches potions…My Profile

  3. Potty Mouthed Mummy
    November 4, 2014 / 9:08 am

    Love reading about the other side of being a teacher!!! I still fondly remember my favourite teachers who were lovely to me and hope they still remember me xx
    Potty Mouthed Mummy recently posted…Lapland Mailroom | Letters from SantaMy Profile

  4. November 4, 2014 / 10:41 am

    What a great post. It is impossible not to have favourites and I love the reasons you give for yours. You are right though they will never know. I hope in a way all pupils leave my class thinking they were my favourite.

  5. November 4, 2014 / 11:02 am

    I’m guessing they don’t know you blog?! I guess it’s only natural to have your favourites – after all as pupils we all had our favourite teachers. It must be a personality thing too – even with the age difference you are going to feel more of an affinity with some than others – just human nature? Did your Lady Gaga boy have a page dedicated to her dress made all of meat? 🙂 Excellent work!! Thanks so much for linking up with me for #thetruthabout this week Jo! Xx
    Sam recently posted…The Truth about… #2My Profile

    • November 4, 2014 / 11:31 am

      Oh no, they definitely don’t know I blog. I’m hoping they never find out, although there’s no reason they would be reading a Mummy Blog so I should be able to keep it from them.
      Sometimes it is all down to personalities, some kids you just click with more than others because of the things you like or having a similar sense of humour. I always have a soft spot for the kids who make me laugh!

  6. Maria
    November 4, 2014 / 11:45 am

    This is so true! I, too, have a set of students that I will never forget, and more often than not, it’s not for their academic talents but how much they’ve persevere to get to where they are now (I have the occasional eccentric student as well, but that Lady Gaga outfits in the planner pages is pretty awesome!). Thank you for sharing such a great post. It’s nice to know I’m not the only one that have “favorites” in the classroom.
    Maria recently posted…The One When I UnderstoodMy Profile

  7. November 4, 2014 / 12:40 pm

    Great to hear the secret truth. You wouldn’t be human if you didn’t have secret favourites. Your last example sounds worryingly like my eldest son (although he’s only year 2), who has a keen eye for sartorial elegance (but lounges around in his onesie anyway).
    Tim recently posted…Silent Sunday 2/11/14My Profile

  8. November 4, 2014 / 1:45 pm

    Oooh I love hearing the teachers secrets!!! And I have to say surely the boy who dedicated pages to Lady Gaga outfits will go far!! Future designer maybe?! x
    Laura Evelyn Bee recently posted…Bumps be Gone!My Profile

  9. To Infinity and IVF
    November 4, 2014 / 3:19 pm

    SO interesting to see the other side – well done for winning that girl round and I would have loved to have seen the Year 7s book of Lady Gaga outfits in it!
    To Infinity and IVF recently posted…When It Felt A Bit Like Breaking BadMy Profile

  10. November 4, 2014 / 6:01 pm

    I’d have been far more surprised if you didn’t have favourites 🙂 There must be some kids who are just special, for many different reasons. The Lady GaGa boy will go far! #thetruthabout
    Sara (@mumturnedmom) recently posted…The Prompt: Week 42My Profile

  11. Jenna
    November 4, 2014 / 8:36 pm

    I’ve worked with children and young people for 10 years and I’ve always had favourites. Usually the kids I see a bit of myself in, when I was their age.

    #thetruthabout

    Jenna at Tinyfootsteps xx
    Jenna recently posted…Dear me, I’m breaking up with you.My Profile

  12. November 4, 2014 / 9:49 pm

    Great to hear the truth told! I don’t see how it would be possible NOT to have the odd soft spot now and again when you’re a teacher. And looking back, the couple of teachers who I felt had a ‘soft spot’ for me have had a significant and positive impact on my development. #thetruthabout
    LearnerMother recently posted…House Project is GO!!!!My Profile

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