Hi Jeff,
Professionalism also allows for proper behavior to be displayed by the instructor.
Patricia
Hi Laura,
Act as a role model to your students. They are truly not looking for another friend. Most of our students really need someone to look up to.
Patricia
So very true, student are here for an education and they need guidance in their classes and programs. They can find friends within the class or outside the classroom.
It's very easy to get drawn into the natural drama of students' lives ... and very easy to bring our own drama into the classroom.
Maintaining professional image and distance allows us keep a focus on student learning, and allows us to interact fairly with our students, especially where issues of academic integrity, special needs, late assignments, etc arise. The emotional distance allows us to have compassion for our students while still holding them accountable to the rules, standards, and policies we have established for the class.
Hi William,
If the issues are academic related, by all means get involved. If the issues are personal in nature, you have to be extremely careful and know when to back off.
Patricia
I beleive getting involded in the students issues is very tricky. You need to be very careful. I do not want ignore these situations but not get get to close.
It allows you keep some perspective and honesty in your approach to your students and classes.
professional and fair w/o appearing unapproachable it is hard b/c students do like to engage in you in their personal conversations,, just need to nod and lead the conversation back to academic topics
Hi Monika,
The line should be in bold heavy print. I am the instructor, and you are the student. The relationsip should reflect the two roles. The relationship should be strictly business in nature.
Patricia
You have to earn the respect of your students. Once you have done that, if you become their friend they lose some of that respect. You can let them know you care about them and will help them any way you can but that you are their instructor.
Maintaining a professional image helps enable the students to see the teacher as the subject expert.
If an instructor allows himself to be too friendly with a student, it becomes difficult to objectively assess that student's performance in the class. It also may anger other students who perceive that the instructor has "pets".
The lines shouldn't blur. We are here to educate and they are here to learn. Maintaining the professional barrier allows that to happen and there are too many reasons to discuss here why this line is so important and why learning would not occur if it wasn't maintained.
Hi Gregory,
Students should never feel like they can control the classroom. It is solely the instructor's responsibility to maintain classroom control.
Patricia
Hi Marva,
I agree! Maintain your professional at all times with students. The students should always see you as the instructor and not their friend. Friends EXPECT special favors. This should never be the case with a student/instructor relationship.
You simply do not need to become too familiar with the student that you become close friends which minimizes or diminishes the respect factor and also in turn can cause unnecessary problems when it's time for the instructor to lead and for the student to follow instructions.
As a teacher, it is imperative to remain in control of the classroom... By becoming too close to students, the teacher has given some of that control over to the "friendly students"
Hi Mark,
The student's sole intent is to become more educated. They really do not need another friend.
Patricia
Students come to class not looking for more friends but to be taught. Students are always observing and some even trying to find an "edge" or easy grade. By creating an environment of professionalism and respect will enhance the professional image that one is trying to portray.
Hi Charlene,
That's right! Be the adult,yet the professional. Do not befriend students.
Patricia
