Delicate situation with a student

[faithinthesound]

So I've been teaching a very, very short time, so this is the first time this happened to me. I've got my first student who evidently has a crush on me.

Now OBVIOUSLY nothing will happen. The child is eleven, and I'm not a disgusting human being!!! So when I say I want advice, I need it to be clear and understood, I'm not a criminal, not a pedophile, and not a troll.

What I'm asking is how best to proceed and not hurt the child's feelings. It's painfully obvious that the crush exists (it has been remarked on by other teachers). I've done nothing to encourage it (that I'm aware of).

However, a potential mitigating factor is that my partner - my female partner - recently came to school to drop off a forgotten lunch for me, and in the process sort of met my class... and this particular student is also female. As in, there's the potential that I've maybe normalized the whole girl/girl relationship thing by modeling one, however inadvertently?

So. To recap. First student with a crush, don't want to hurt her feelings, want to be sensitive to her feelings, I've recently "come out" as it were, and the student in question is female.

How have others proceeded in similar situations? I know "keep calm and carry on" is the best advice but also I don't want to do anything to upset the child if you see what I mean.

I see the huge potential for people thinking this is a troll post don't worry. All I can do is promise I'm not one.

[BettyBettyBetty]

^ really? I think it's painfully obvious when a student has a crush. I have one at the moment following me everywhere, making excuses to come see me and making googley eyes at me.

It's hard not to feel a little annoyed sometimes I think!

OP I think it's good you're being sensitive to the child's feelings.

[Camiila]

How long have you been teaching? You seem to be overreacting to a non-issue

this exactly. You post leaves me very concerned about your fitness to be a teacher, this over reaction is verging on hysterical, and you seem massively over involved in the feelings of this child. Its perfectly normal, a day to day occurrence, and a total non issue. Just ignore.