> ....and why does it distract them so? Maybe the subject is not truly deep enough to float my theory, but here's what I think: it has to do with the whole "authority" thing. I think authority figures like parents or teachers are expected to be "constant and unchanging" --even for secondary students who consciously *know* you're a person with your own life outside school. They just didn't *think* of you that way, for the most part, until your change in hair-do reminded them of it. (Well, it's only a theory).

Works for me - but I was a T.K. - teacher's kid, so I always knew teachers had other, secret identities. Often my friends would be stunned though, to see my Mom in curlers or a bathing suit!


> By the way, since it's sort of related to this and to the name thread, tell me how you manage to remember all your student's names? --especially if you're teaching 5 classes a day, with say 30 students each?

I have a little parlour trick I use the very first day of class. I make a seating plan and force myself to quickly memorize all names in all classes. I use mnemonic devices if necessary, and rhyme them if I can. It's really effective, and gives instantaneous authority when you can speak to the correct person on the first day about his/her behaviour. (Of course, if it's going to be a really horrid class, I'll probably have been warned anyway).

te (it's a bird, it's a plane, it's Super-Memory Woman!)ach