Age Issues

Being a relatively young teacher, I do a very good job of convoluting the amount of time that has passed since my birth, and exactly how many years of experience I have. This is important in the younger grades so that parents see me as nothing but an authority, and when I taught high school it was important for very obvious reasons. So, my standard age that I tell people when they ask is 67. 

It is amazing what kids will believe. 

Yesterday, I was reading a Magic School Bus book with my fifth grade class. While they were settling in, I mentioned that the Magic School Bus series was a collection of books, before the television show. I said something about how I was about the age of many of my students when I was watching the shows, and that I was 8 when the book we were reading was published. The paraprofessional in my room asked when the book was written, and I said "96." He looked amazed, and then three seconds later a student burst out with "But Ms. Sablich, that means you're NOT 67!" 

No darling, I'm not.