Miss Frizzle or Miss Viola Swamp?

Today I received some rather distressing news. A friend of mine had apparently talked to one of my students very recently and was told that I was a "strict, mean teacher who didn't discipline students who interrupt and I assigned too much homework."

....

Am I really that terrible? Granted, this is coming from a 10 year old who cannot seem to keep his or her finger out of his or her own nose. But still, I can't help but feel a tinge of hurt in hearing these words.

Ever since I was called to be a teacher, I've always wanted to be like Miss Frizzle from The Magic School Bus. She was the cool teacher who dressed funny, had a lizard, and took kids on great field trips. Hands on learning, all the way! But have I instead turned into a Miss Viola Swamp from Miss Nelson is Missing? Was my Miss Nelson (my good, sweet teaching side) too weak to control my classroom, so I had to pull out the meaness of my own "Miss Swamp?" I hate this feeling. I'm not ready to accept being "the mean teacher." It's great to be "the cool teacher" because everybody is excited to see you. However, my class isn't mature enough to do all the really cool stuff yet. It's really too bad.

I guess I don't really know where I'm going with this. I tend to blog more when Rick isn't home, because I have no one else to talk to. Does the fact that I base my life philosophy on children's picture books make me crazy? Who knows? I'm not really going to change the way that I teach, but it doesn't make the hurt go away. So,... if I start wearing all black all the time, stop brushing my hair, and paint my face white--Just look out!