When I was in Nursery School, I would refuse to sit with the other kids during story time, I would only sit next to the teacher. I wasn't particularly shy or anything and definitely not a teachers pet but it just seemed the natural thing to do. I guess I always felt like I didn't belong with the group. Luckily the teacher was nice enough to put up with it, though they did recommend my mother get a child psychologist in (I didn't play with the other kids).
Later on, I guess I realized that sitting next to the teacher makes you look like a teachers' pet but I still remember always feeling like I had a "one on one" relationship with my teachers, and I would talk to them but not discuss things with other kids; but suddenly in grade 1, the teachers really seemed to discourage this, which hurt.
Later on, in Junior High, it seemed a lot of the teachers started favouring the popular kids over the misfits. I realize now that the teachers were probably not the most popular kids growing up, and they probably felt a bit "cool" if they were in the popular kids' good books.
I'm very shy now, I'd like to get to know my teachers better but I always think they probably want to get me out of their hair. Such a change from how I used to be... wish I could get past that hurdle.