As a teacher, my job is simple: answer questions.
At least… that’s what I thought when I signed up.
What no one tells you is that somewhere between “What’s the meaning of..?” and “Can I go to the bathroom?”, your students slowly start taking over as the real experts in the room.
And I mean real experts.....
They know things, important things. Like slang I have never heard in my entire life.
Apparently, “yeet” is not just a random noise—it’s a verb. A whole action. A lifestyle, even.
They also keep me updated on trends I didn’t know existed. One day I’m teaching quietly, and the next I’m getting a full breakdown of why a certain obscure internet trend is actually iconic.
I didn’t ask for this education… but here we are.
And then there are the questions. The ones that come completely out of nowhere.....You know the kind.
You’re mid-lesson, feeling confident, explaining something you definitely understand… and suddenly a student raises their hand and asks:
“But why does that happen?”
And you freeze……
Now we’ve moved beyond the lesson plan. Now we’re in deep thinking territory. Now you’re mentally scrolling through your entire education like, Do I know this? Have I ever known this? Should I know this?
And sometimes… the honest answer is:
“I have absolutely no idea.”
Those are the moments I’ve learned to love the most because here’s the thing no one emphasizes enough: learning was never meant to be a one-way street. It’s not just teacher talks, student listens.
The best classrooms don’t feel like that at all. They feel like a slightly chaotic, slightly loud, always entertaining conversation—where everyone brings something to the table. Including the teacher… who is very much still figuring things out.
The older I get, the more I realize that being a “good teacher” has less to do with having all the answers, and more to do with being comfortable not having them. It’s about staying curious, laughing at yourself a little, and being willing to say, “Okay, now I’m learning too.”
Luckily, I spend my days surrounded by people who ask approximately 437 questions per hour, so I really don’t have a choice.
At this point, I’m starting to think they’re not just learning from me… they’re training me.
So here’s to the students who keep us humble, the slang we pretend to understand (we don’t), and the questions that completely derail our lesson plans—in the best possible way.
Because if teaching has taught me anything, it’s this: We’re all still learning. Some of us are just taller.
Stay curious, happy reading!
Ms. Carol
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