Condition your teacher to get the fuck out of the class
Think about this in the context of performing feminity. So many women deny that they have been influenced to shave, wear makeup, wear heels, etc and claim they do it for themselves. But when you are receiving compliments and are getting treated better when you do those things, you are definitely being influenced.
i also think intelligence is way too glorified and its seen as like the pinnacle of human worth when traits like compassion and goodness factor way more into our actual decisions+interactions