Becoming One Of Them
While it may not be in the best interests of the teacher to "become one of the gang", nothing brings aloof students around faster than getting the impression that the teacher is one of them. What better way to do that than to acknowledge and celebrate when students have superior knowledge of a particular piece of subject matter. Of course, if the students are consistently more learned than the teacher, they will most definitely question the credentials of that teacher.
yes it is more trouble than it is worth, stay away from truly befriending your students
I would agree, most of the time becoming one of the gang leads to more complications than it is worth, however, I do think that there are some outliers out there. The disgruntled student for example, sometimes needs to see inspiration by seeing the professor step down from their pedestal long enough to put their own life into perspective.
Hi Kim and Kristine!
I agree - It likes being "friends" with our children where there is a point that we lose authority and the ability to train/role model expected outcomes. Then taking into account that we work in a public institution where there are a different set of standards for instructor behaviors.
Keep up the good work!
Jane Davis
ED107 Facilitator
Kristne,
I would have to agree with you. Becoming friends with students is not a good idea. Being sympathetic and understanding is great, but once we cross that line of teacher/student to friends,there can be a lot of conflict of interest that can surface.
it is never a good idea to become one of the gang. To empathize and be understanding is ok. Teachers should never cross the line and befriend a student
I agree with not becoming one of them. However, I do believe in letting them know about mistakes you have made and how you learned from them. It brings a more human element to you as the instructor.
I agree with you on this one, Joe. I find sitting down with my students and even physically getting "down to their level" is very helpful in facilitating fruitful dialogue and learning. The less students feel that they are being talked "down" to, the more apt they'll be to feel comfortable and make progress in the classroom.
Hi Joe!
I agree that being supportive of students and being able to self disclose is important. However, I would encourage you to not "become one of the gang" as I think that demishes your ability to maintain control when necessary. AND - acknowledging and celebrating learning is such a positive self-esteem builder for students.
Good job!
Jane Davis
Ed106 Facilitator
