Need help conversing with head teacher

[KittiKati]

I started a job last week working in a school. It’s a great job that I have been very excited about and am thoroughly enjoying it, the staff are lovely.

I have always been a little shy with people in authority but have really worked on my confidence and body language, eye contact etc.

The head teacher is very nice, obviously the authority figure in the school, but I am really struggling to maintain eye contact as she has one eye that stays still when the other eye moves (sorry I’m not sure if there’s a medical term), it’s far more pronounced than a ‘turn’.

I really try and look at her when she speaks to me out of respect but I just end up looking elsewhere- today I found myself staring at her chest and she has large breasts so now she probably thinks I’m a weirdo.

I really want this job to work out, half of me wants to just be honest with her and say I can’t maintain eye contact because of the whole eyes in different direction thing going on but I guess that’s inappropriate?

what can I do to make this work?

Yes that would be inappropriate. I would pick a spot on her forehead, nose, between her eyes and stay fixed on that and focus on listening.

Could you try looking at her nose when you’re talking to her?

That might be near enough to the eyes to get away without direct eye contact?

She may have a prosthetic eye. Don't mention it.

DD struggles with eye contact. I've told her to pick a spot she can focus on near the eyes when she needs to do eye contact. She's also learnt to tell people that she does find it difficult, and generally people are happy to know it's just her!

From Moana - pick one!