Hi Cindy,
I concur! Students will emulate us, good or bad! We must be the professional that we want our students to become.
Patricia Scales
Maintaing a professional image is important because it allows students to see the expectations of their potential employers. It will also so what you expect of them as well.
Students learn behavior from modeling behavior. If you exhibit professional behavior they will learn often to do the same.
How can I get other instructors to be good role models?
You don't want to become the students friend.
One of the most important thing for new instructors is pronunciation and terminology, espcially in medical and technology type fields. Lack of confidence in pronunciation gives the student the idea an instructor is not prepared nor are they very educated in the concept being taught.
I think it is important just so they can be prepared for boundaries. Whether to a boss or a customer. Because if you treat everyone the same and don't keep the distance it is easier for them to get to comfortable and take advantage of it by asking for leeway or making others think they are getting away with something.
The instructor has the job to teach the students, not be their friend. Respect is essential for an instructor-students relationship, Not friendship.
Because if you have always that professional image it is easy for you to gain respect, they look up on you as a model and they are open minded what ever you may say.
I believe that if the instructor set the stands. The students will follow suit.
Hi Valorie,
I concur! We should certainly lead by example.
Patricia Scales
Hi Ann,
I love this idea! What a good way to get students to think about their image.
Patricia Scales
Maintaining a professional image means to gain respect from the students. How they perceive you is how they are trying to set themselves up in the professional field. They need the example, so the need to try to become your buddy should not happen because they need the guidance.
Another thought:
We have a mirror in our school that has this comment on the top of it:
Would you hire this person?
the student can self reflect whether their appearnce is something that would lead someone to be interested in hiring them.
There are a variety of important reasons to do this. One is you must maintain an aspect of neutrality with all students. They must believe that you care for them all equally and that your help is available to each of them on an equal basis. If you associate with some of them more than others, they will not believe that you are available to help them. There is a trickle down effect to this that will seep into many areas of your teaching. Students who believe the teacher is fair and equal to all students will be easier to deal with and will manage the course much more easily. It manifest itself in many ways
Hi Deborah,
You are on point! Our students do not need another friend. They need someone they can look up to.
Patricia Scales
Hi Bernadette,
Absolutely! The student/instructor relationship should be kept strictly professional.
Patricia Scales
By maintaining a professional distance we are establishing ourselves as the authority on the subject and in the classroom. We also prevent the appearance of favoritism.
You want your students to see you as a qualified professional. We need be nurturing and friendly with our students, but we are not there to be their friends. We are there to help then learn. We need to maintain control in the classroom and earn their respect. They don't need me to be their friend, they need to see me as a role model.
The minute you allow a friendship is the minute you lost the audience. If they consider you a peer you will loose your authority
