Seeing Students in Stores

I've been teaching for over 20 years in the same area, but in four different schools and at six different grade levels. I've run into present and former students and families everywhere from Comicon to Safeway. I even ran into a co-worker and his kids, one of whom was in my class at the time, at Great Wolf Lodge once. It can be jarring, like the time I ran into a former third grader, from my first year of teaching, in the bar at Applebee's. But so far (knock on wood) I've only had positive experiences running into people from my school communities.

I'm pretty good at recognizing former students, even if I can't always remember which school or grade level they came through my classroom. I am much worse at recognizing their parents, though they often recognize me. If someone looks vaguely familiar, keeps casting glances my way, or tells me I look familiar, I assume I taught their kid(s) at some point. It only gets awkward when people talk at length about how their child is doing now without clueing me in to who their child is.

Several years ago, I ran into one former student while she was working at Bath and Body Works. She was very excited to see me and chatted with me the entire time I was in the shop. I did need her nametag to recognize her, given that she was in her early 20s and I knew her well as an eight-year-old. But it was very fun to see her enthusiasm and exuberance for life had not diminished over time. As I was leaving the store, I overheard her telling her co-worker stories about being in my classroom.

Once when I was out doing my grocery shopping at a store that was on my way home, but not my usual spot, giggling followed me through the store. It was always about an aisle behind me, and I didn't catch a glimpse of the kids who were the source, but their joy made me smile as I shopped. Finally, as I was approaching a checkout line, two girls who had been in my class the previous year jumped out at me. They had a lot of fun startling me, and the memory still makes me smile.

Today my husband and I braved the Christmas Eve crazy of a grocery store to stock up before the potential Christmas snowfall in the forecast. Our cashier was on the younger side, and he and the bagger bantered back and forth the whole time we were in their line. The bagger looked quite familiar above her face mask, and once I caught a glimpse of her nametag under her long hair, I knew exactly who she was. But she was so busy bantering with the cashier, she barely looked at the customers in her line. As we were leaving, I waved at her, and suddenly recognition lit up her face. "Your last name isn't Conrow, is it?" she asked. She turned and chatted briefly with me as the next customer's groceries piled up on her end of the counter. As she wished me a Merry Christmas, I got the distinct impression that she felt like she had missed an opportunity to chat with me while I was in her line.

I suppose students who didn't like me as their teacher might recognize me when I am out and about, and then avoid me. But I prefer to believe most of my students enjoyed being in my classroom and enjoy seeing me out in public.  Interactions like these are another perk of the job. Knowing former students have positive feelings toward me years after they were in my classroom makes me feel all warm and fuzzy on the inside.