Advice please!

[scottishgirl]

Hi everyone!

What a great site!!

I was hoping for some advice from people who have braces at the moment or are planning on getting them. I had braces as a teenager but my teeth have shifted position and i'm going to have to get them put back on again if i want them straightened. I'm a 22 year old girl and i'm finishing my degree at the end of May. Ive been accepted to do secondary teacher training (aged 11-18) so i will be a student teacher from August onwards. The problem is, i'm worried that the kids at the schools i train in will laugh at me and wont take me seriously as a teacher if i have braces on. It was bad enough having them first time around but i'm worried about how it will affect my confidence in front of the class. I really dislike the way my teeth are just now so i guess its deciding which is worse.

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated!

[Nervous]

Ugh, I know how you feel. I’ve done some teaching in front of my peers in the program I’m currently in and I sometimes worry that they will only be looking at my teeth and not paying attention to my lesson. I haven’t taught a group of kids yet, so I wouldn’t know what it is like. I guess as teachers, we’ve just got to learn to be thick-skinned and not let the little things bother us like braces, and just focus on the lesson at hand. I hope that helps you and good luck in your credential program.

[alexa]

I'm 23 (24 in two weeks! ) and I'm doing in class volunteer hours as a prerequisite for a secondary education program that I will be applying to next year. So far, none of the high school kids have paid my braces any mind. The teachers either. It's a lot less noticable than we think, as I had been worried about the same thing.

Good luck with the program!

[Melancholyrose]

I would say that those kids are probably so self conscious and worried about how THEY look that they won't even look that closely at you. However, they will definitely notice your braces, and I agree that if you keep a sense of humor and stay relaxed, they'll probably be able to identify with you, because I bet some of them have braces and will think it's neat that a teacher has them too!

[hollywood_smile]

hi!! im 18!!!! and right now, at this point, i noice teacher's braces and everything, but im obssessed, beleive me , in fact something beyond obseesion, i stare at everyones teeth, so of course i notice braces.

but now that i remember....when i was 14 i had a teacher with braces, metal by the way, she was like law and civics and that stuff teacher, i remember she had braces cos she was really cool, she was 27 and she was not the best teacher ever! haha but she was nice to us, funny and young mind you know? and i dont remeber anyone saying anything about her braces or anything, besides that teacher i dont remember another teacher wearing braces...and im sure i had alot....actually when i was 7 the daughter of our english teacher had braces, i remember just because she was even cooler haha and she was reaaally pretty! haha

but anyways, if you dont like how ur teeth look, dont let a bunch of teens stop you lol!, go for it, and as of teaching....as kk says sense of humor is the key..oh yeah i remember another teacher with braces, english teacher when i was 11, she had clear but just on the bottom, but honestly we noticed them and laughed at her, cos she had this ridiculous, annoying and disgusting habit, she used to sort of suck her lower teeth buth with her toungue, sound weird i know now try to imagine it! eeeww!!...if she wouldnt do all that stuff swear we would never notice !!....

[kirst1583]

Hi scottishgirl,
I don't think you should let the teaching get in the way of your hopes of a beautiful smile.
I coach softball (usually 10 and 11 year olds, but some teenagers also) and it's a real conversation point. Many of them have braces too and it's great to compare colours, how long we've had them for etc.
I'm sure you'll be pleasantly surprised at how positive others are about your braces.
Good luck with your decision. Do whatever feels right for you!

[tictac]

I think it may be a novelty to them at first, but it will probably wear off and they won't care or even notice your braces anymore.

I definitely think you should do it now. Get the smile you want sooner rather than later so you won't spend future years being self conscious about your teeth. You'll be glad you got it over with. Good luck!

[Skinny]

I had a teacher's who had Braces. And None of the kids ever said or thought anything of it. In fact one of my very cool teachers told us that she had braces because when she was a child her family couldnt aford them and now she can. We never thought about it in fact I just though well good for her doing that for herself. Thats cool!
So I would worry at all about that.
People dont think about other people as much as they think about them selfs. So Im pretty sure you will think about your braces way more then anyone ealse will.

[scottishgirl]

Thanks everyone!! I feel so much better after reading your posts!

I never had any teacher's with braces as adult braces are not very common here in Scotland so i guess thats why i'm so worried. I know you're all right though, as long as i have a sense of humour about it i'll be fine. I'm really looking forward to being a teacher so i'm not going to let the thought of having braces ruin my confidence. Think i'll talk to my dentist about it at my next appointment after my finals.

Thanks again for your advice guys, i really appreciate it!

[new boy james]

Yeah I echo tictac. Your new teeth will last a lifetime.