Leap of Logic
I met an elderly lady named Dorothy on the bus home yesterday. I was wearing sunglasses and headphones when I sat behind her. There were plenty of people on the bus that were more approachable, but she chose me. I took off my sunglasses and headphones as she asked me friendly questions like "When do the students come back to campus?" and "When are summer classes?" After a minute of chatting (mostly on her side), she asked me what I do.
"Uh...I'm a graduate student in Atmospheric Science. I work with satellites."
That's all I said about myself before she said, "You should be a teacher."
I bolted back in my chair, completely blindsided by the remark. I love to teach, and she'd given me (what I feel is) a great compliment. But up to that point, I'd said nothing to give her that impression. How would she know that?
As I asked her about her life, I learned that she'd been a school teacher, and she told me about the good and bad teachers she'd seen in the school system. She said I seemed patient and friendly, and that students would really like me.
That talk completely baffled me:
1) She decided I'd be a good person to talk to, even though I was wearing headphones, and
2) She got a teacher vibe so fast from me. I really enjoy education, but I never brought it up before that comment. I didn't say much of anything at all before that, actually.
I don't know what just happened here, but I'm going to remember it for a while.
"Uh...I'm a graduate student in Atmospheric Science. I work with satellites."
That's all I said about myself before she said, "You should be a teacher."
I bolted back in my chair, completely blindsided by the remark. I love to teach, and she'd given me (what I feel is) a great compliment. But up to that point, I'd said nothing to give her that impression. How would she know that?
As I asked her about her life, I learned that she'd been a school teacher, and she told me about the good and bad teachers she'd seen in the school system. She said I seemed patient and friendly, and that students would really like me.
That talk completely baffled me:
1) She decided I'd be a good person to talk to, even though I was wearing headphones, and
2) She got a teacher vibe so fast from me. I really enjoy education, but I never brought it up before that comment. I didn't say much of anything at all before that, actually.
I don't know what just happened here, but I'm going to remember it for a while.