Lunch Randomness

Today was a good teaching day full of learning by all groups of students but today it is randomness that sticks out. Students really do pay attention to everything their teachers are doing. Yes, it does feel like we spend forever prepping lessons that students either do not pay attention to or do not fully absorb, but they are paying attention to what we are doing. This came home after lunch today. I do lunch duty, mostly because it means a free lunch and I don't have to spend the time in the morning packing my lunch, but I also enjoy spending time with my fellow faculty at the lunch table and the extra student interaction doesn't bother me. I also eat a salad almost every day. Part of that is due to putting myself on a diet last January (and losing over 20 pounds) and part of that is just that I like the salad bar. It usually has great, healthy options that free me up to eat less healthy options later in the day. Apparently a couple of my fourth hour students have noticed. They also noticed that I do not use salad dressing.

Student: Mrs. Styf, do you always eat salad without dressing?

Me: Pretty much.

Student: Why?

Me: I've just never used it. I don't like to use dressing. Besides, I know it's healthier.

Student: So are you always dieting or something?

There are elements of the above conversation which are paraphrased, but it captures the gist of the conversation. It's minor, but even behaviors that I believe to be minute are significant enough to at least one student that it comes up in conversation. That would be why I watch what I say in class, what music I listen to at school, what books I discuss reading, and any other aspect of my life that may be under a teacher microscope.

I believe that celebrities have a legitimate point when they say that they never intended to be a role model. They are in the business of entertainment, not inspiration. We could discuss the philosophy of that all day, but the reality for me as a teacher is that I did pick a job that puts me front and center in my students' lives. I did pick a job where I am to be a role model, even if it is just influencing students through my eating habits. And sometimes it is the most random of moments that bring that truth home.

And if I'm really going to be a model of healthy eating, maybe next time I should pass on the cookie...nah.