I agree on keeping distance from students and having professionlism,i believe students keep respect for you when you keep the distance and the rapport stays established
Because student want respect their instructor more than to have them for friends
Keeping a professional distance helps to ensure the students understand who is in charge. If an instructor socializes physically or electronically with students this creates a conflict of interest. There's the potential you as an instructor may make an improper remark about another student or you may allow your friendship to cloud your objectivity.
There's also the likelihood that other students will feel they were cheated on a grade or the befiriended student was given preferential treatment. There isn't a good way to deflect this criticism. And in reality, if you befriend a student you can not be objective and you will lose creditability with your other students. The end result is you will become ineffective as an instructor.
I agree John. Many students have no idea how to act professionally. By doing so, an instructor gives a good example the students can follow.
Students have to believe their instructor knows what he is talking about. Dressing poorly or acting unprofessionally damages the instructor's credability.
Essentially as an instructor you are the boss in the classroom. Acting unprofessionally takes away your authority and the ability to control the class.
Acting professionally also means you are treating your students equally. Unprofessional behavior can lead to rumors of favoritism, grading bias, and other inappropriate behavior. Once this situation occurs, you have lost the respect of your students and all learning has stopped.
So well put - being a teacher is like being a parent. Set goals, expectations, maintain discipline, but not be a buddy.
It is important to maintain a professional image and distance from your students because you need to gain respect from your students rather than trying to make "friends". I feel it is unprofessional to be friends with your students and typically against school policy.
I agree that you shouldn't be buddies with students but you can be approachable and display concern.
You might compare it to being a parent. You cannot be a buddy or best friend to your child and maintain discipline.
You cannot be buddies with your student, you as instructor has different tole to play and must maintain to be a role model
Fraternizing rules should extend all the way to befriending a student, and in which case is unacceptable.
Professionalism is clouded by allowing any sort of friendship with a student. Crossing that line causes difficulty in retaining authority in the classroom.
This also causes segregation in the classroom where students who are not friended feel that they are at a disadvantage.
I fully agree with leading by example, every day I before class I do a uniform inspection before entering and the first thing I notice is that the students are checking my uniform as I'm inspecting. You can't expect them to maintain a professional image if you don't.
Hi Jeremy,
Great response! Each person has a role, and we must play our roles well. Students should always stay in a student's place.
Patricia
Hi Sherrie,
You are right worse. An instructor should NEVER party with a student. This type of behavior is not good, and it sends out the wrong message. We must lead by example.
Patricia
Hi Allan,
Boundaries must be established. Students should not be allowed to cross the line.
Patricia
Hi Marlene,
Absolutely! It is human nature to want to be liked, but we must remember we are not in it for a popularity contest.
Patricia
You need to maintain a professional distance and not get too friendly because you are the Instructor not the students' friend. It helps if you are liked but not necessary. Respect is more important and that too is a two way street.
A "professional distance" is necessary, but is a positive, not negative thing. The students must sense that the teacher is competant and
compassionate, and that he has foremost in
mind that he is there to grow the students
understanding and skills in the course content
to help them succeed in their careers, . . -which is why the students came to school, and are paying for it. Time spent in irrelevant personal experiences that divert from this must
be avoided.
Mark S.
Because students are not our friends and work colleagues. They remain our students from whom we must keep a respectful distance. This is an important part of professionalism.
So the instructor isn't perceived to being favoritism with some students and not others. We are not allowed to take our breaks w/the students. Instructors have a separate smoking area as the non smoking students perceived the smoking students & instructors were forming a tighter bond during breaks.
Professional image lends more credence to what you are presenting. Yes, we've all known people that dress up and display wonderful manners only to turn out to be less than what they portray, but if we show up in the classroom inappropriately dressed, inappropriate behavior, it sends the wrong message. Students won't take the instructor seriously when the discussion turns to behavior in the work place.
We are the role models for what is to be expected in the work place and if we are going to teach professionalism then we need to be professional.
