approching a teacher

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-02-2003
approching a teacher
2
Sun, 12-05-2004 - 11:38pm

Okay I'll try and explain the situation with out making it overly complicated… I work in a day care center; which is attached to a k-12 school. The school and the center are run by different groups but related in that both are completely French speaking. In the center I work primarily with the school age kids and am in and out of the school several times a day. So in my time in the school I have developed a pretty healthy attraction to one of the gym teachers. I suspect he may have some interest in me and despite my usually terrible shyness I actually think I'd be able to approach him on personal level. But I would never do anything while either of us had children in our direct care. It would be completely inappropriate. That cuts down the opportunities considerably. Next I'm not entirely comfortable approaching him inside school hours… the area we most often cross paths in is very close to both the school office and the teachers lounge. I wouldn't want to cause problems for him. Also the presence of the high school age kids makes me a little uneasy… they'd know exactly what was going on. And this being somewhat tight francophone community… it very well could come back at one or both of us if those kids went home and told their parents.

No matter how much I think on it I can't come up with a way to find a "safe" time to try and talk with him. I start work before him… lunch breaks seem to be totally different… and though we finish about the same time I park and one end of the building he at the other… making a meeting in the parking lot highly unlikely.

Any helpful thoughts out there?

k

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Mon, 12-06-2004 - 10:26am

kendalina...

Even though you might be a little shy, Pianoguy thinks you're a VERY SMART LADY. Why? Because you don't want to put your position (and the position of the gym teacher) in jeopardy! Many schools have policies that discourage faculty dating.

Do you happen to know the man's home address? If so...what's wrong with sending a nice (not mushy) friendship card? Include a short note that indicates you'd like to know the man a little better...and that it might be fun to chat (and share a cup of coffee or two) some Saturday or Sunday morning. The two of you AREN'T instructing children on those days, correct?

If there's a response from him....great! If there's no response at all, consider your working relationship...just that!

Best wishes and warm thoughts,

Pianoguy

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-02-2003
Mon, 12-06-2004 - 11:08pm
While I appriciate the compliment... we aren't actually coworkers... the school and daycare and completely separate entities. So while he and i do interact with many of the same children and work in the same complex no one could really say anything if we dated so long as we remained professional while we were working.