Maintaining a professional image will enable you to observe all the students in the same light. Co-mingling with students tends to lead to an fair compassion.
Hi Yesenia,
I concur! The student/instructor relationship should be strictly professional. When the relationship becomes personal, things get way too risky.
Patricia Scales
As an instructor, maintaining a professional distance from students is essential. I believe students will take the instructor more seriously and show more respect. If the instructor crosses that boundary, students may get the impression that there will be no consequences for their behavior (i.e. tardiness, unprepared for class, etc).
Hi Manuela,
I experience a similar situation. A young lady I went to college with attended the sohool where I need teach, and she called me by my first name. I immediately told her while she was at the institution that I was Mrs. Scales, off the premises she could call me Trish. She respected the directive.
Patricia Scales
If an instructor does not maintain a professional distance to his or her students, it can easily move into a "friend" basis. With that, the danger of loosing respect can come. I have worked with a women in the hospital many years ago. We both had the same position and called us by our first names. Now, years later, she is taking classes at the college I teach at. She has not been in my class yet (I do not know if she will in the future), but when she sees me in the hall, she calls my fist name. Other students look at me funny.
Students who believe that they are your friend will try to take advantage of this when they need to break with the rules governing class behavior. In addition to the unbalanced nature of treating any students differently, this can also be legally actionable. We tend to forget how many things we do or say with friends that would be completely inappropriate (and sometimes seen as unethical) in a professional environment.
It is important to remain professional while still allowing the students to see you as a human with feelings who also can make a mistake.
Because I am only an adjunct professor, I usually only see students one time during their journey through our technical school while other instructors may have students in their classes multiple times. As a result, it is difficult for me to know which classes the students have already taken and what knowledge they bring to the class with them. I want to avoid repeating material because our time is limited. Frequently when I start a new chapter or introduce a new idea, I will ask the students to explain to me what they already understand about the topic. These class discussions allow students to remember things they learned in the past and it shows that I am opening to learning more about their educational backgrounds.
Maintaining a professional image: As a Marine Corps instructor it is very important to maintain your professional image, I often found myself instructing former marines that I have served with in the fleet coming through as students so you need to remember when in the classroom you are the instructor and they are there to learn. I also had to remember that I would be returning back to the fleet to reserve with those Marines so it was important not to act unprofessional because they would remember just how about you were and it may affect your work relationship in the future.
v/r
Ron
It is important for students to see an instructor as a professional. Instructors should never become friends with students. It crosses a line and the respect as a professional instructor is lost.
By keeping a professional image, it reduce the inappropriteness between student and teacher.
I agree with Stephanie's statement on "Not being a friend but a role model" This is a mistake that I have already made. After, you have allowed a student to "think" you are their friend because you listen to their problems, it's difficult to gain back the Role of Instructor.
It ensures you are seen as a mentor and sets an image of what they should strive for as a professional in their field of study. It also establishes the instructor in the authoritative status which will provide stability for the student in understanding structure of course. This prepares them for the career field when they begin to work in a business structure where their leader should also be a professional that is respected and provide mentoring.
Maintaining a professional distance from students is important because you want to represent yourself as an authoritative figure. Being friends with students can only go so far before personal and school obligations can get twisted. They may perseve a friendship into an easy way out of an assignment or class.
It creates a culture of respect with students when we maintain the teacher- student relationship.
Mainaining a professional image is important because when students see you as a professional, competent leader, they will respect you. When you earn students' respect, they are less likely to disrupt class and more likely to stay on task. Respect is the key to a successful student-instructor relationship, as well as the key to reducing classroom management issues.
Hi Richard,
Nicely stated! I am a firm believer that you get from students what you expect. If you raise the bar, students will rise to it! Let's expect more from our students.
Patricia Scales
You are being a role model for what the real world will be like. In nursing it is so very important to know what professional behavior is and how to identify those very important boundries (especially with patients). By demonstrating boundries and professional behavior in the clinical setting, you help your students begin to understand those concepts.
I think of "professional distance" more of a "professional separation". Most of us learn from those that we look "up" to.
In other words, I believe in an academic setting, we should encourage students to "reach" above their level of subject knowledge. By being a subject matter expert (SBE) we have a responsibility to dress, speak, and present the proper positive and professional educational environment for all students. Students aspiring to become an "career heroes" like their instructional delivery expert (IDE) creates proper movitation for learning.
Whenever possible, "raise the bar" and enjoy watching your student achieve your expectations!
Maintaining a professional image will make students aware that there's a line between student and instructor. That mean that I'm the professional in charge and that the teacher and students are not friends.By maintaining a professional attitude, I demonstrate that respect is expected at all times and that I also respect them.
