I have 2 very different classes that call for 2 different versions of my personality to show up. Or maybe 2 different sides of my n-sided personality.

The wide range of abilities a teacher exhibits to meet the needs of the students in front of them is a testament to the transferable skill of acting, applicable on any other stage.

Take my teaching timetable as an example.

I teach 4 different year groups. 4 different ability groups.

In one, I am very animated to the point of singing students' names or borderline dancing at the front to get them to engage. Thankfully, that doesn't happen all the time!

Or I may have just had enough acting experience to transition into Nollywood or Hollywood.

But it works every time. The quiet, shy and timid ones smile at me and are more likely to answer questions in front of the rest of their mates, without fear of getting it wrong.

Contrast that with another year group, an older group of students who when posed a question, squirm and avoid eye contact with me.

It's getting to the point where I'm about to ban the 2 or 3 students who always raise their hands to end the awkward silence as I count 1 to 10 in my head scanning for more answerers!

What I find surprising is that whenever I cold call almost any of them, they know the right answer and can explain. Or when they're working independently, I see that they've actually understood the work.

With this group, my energy levels barely dip. With the former group, it's a nosedive. I desperately reach for some sugar to recover from breaching the boundaries of my introverted self!

And there you have it! Do you "edit" how you show up based on your audience?