Hi Thomas,
We as instructors need to lead by example to show our students how to be successful in all areas. Instructors need to be the professional that we want our students to become.
Patricia Scales
Maintaining a professional image prepares the students for the future when dealing with customers or in a management position, dealing with employees.
It is important students know the rules and the role the instructor plays in the classroom. Adult students spend a lot of money to be in our programs and they come to school to learn. Our job as an instructor is too provide them a positive, high degree of expertise in a competent education; not to become their buddies. We still can establish positive friendly teacher:student roles.
We want to make our students comfortable in our classroom and able to understand the things they are being taught. My goal as an educator is too help make every student become a success.
Deborah Opie
In class we practice professional behavior as if we were at our work site. The students must have a model of what is expected before they can develop their own professional image.
It is important to maintain a professional distance from students because this is how respect and professionalism within the classroom setting is maintained. One thing I always learned is show by example. Keep personal conversation out of the classroom, even though now I teach a personal topic. I learn to get in and get out, just give a general overview and do not stick to specifics on certain details. By doing this, I allow other students to get personal, but only allow them to share the pertinent details, and not take up too much time in the classroom. By showing this in the classroom, they learn that it is not alright to keep talking about personal information. They learn where it is important and not important for our discussions.
Hi Gina,
You are right! Our students do not need more friends. They need someone they can look up to and guide them along the way to success.
Patricia Scales
If not the students might look at you as a friend. Once that happens, there is no respect for you
I tend to dislike the term “professional distance†because it gives me a sense of being disconnected from my students. I prefer to think in terms of ensuring professional respect is maintained between me and my students. I encourage my students to call me Tom instead of Mr. Smith. I eat lunch with them, go to dinner with them, sit in the hotel lounge and have drinks with them. We socialize, tell war stories, and even discuss personal matters at times. Never once do I compromise my standards as an instructor. Never do I approach a situation where I give in to what is expected in the classroom. Many of my students have worked for me years ago, worked with me recently, or have simply known me here and there. In the classroom, I represent the professional that I am and never ever make my students feel like I am above them. I admire them, respect them, and will do everything I can to ensure they become as successful in their careers as I had the pleasure of being in mine. I believe my students appreciate how I present myself and how I also hold their feet to the fire in the classroom.
Maintaining the professional image will allow the students to respect you for being the leader you are. Discuss the topic with the young adults, don't talk down to them as if they knew nothing. The students in all classes have something to gain and to give. Listen to them and they will listen to you.
Hi Eugene,
Yes, you have it! Professionalism is key at any level. A nice working relationship is healthy for the organization, but you do not have to become people's best friend at work or school.
Patricia Scales
It all comes down to respect and having boundaries in place. "No I'm not your friend, I'm hear to teach you so that you can have a successful career." If students consider you to be their friend, they will try to take advantage of the situation and put the instructor in a compromising position, and it's not worth it.
It will give you "credibility" as an istructor.
Patricia, Professionalism is the benchmark of any field. Just because you work with someone does not mean that they need to be your best friend. It isn't insulting, it is possible to be cordial, helpful and kind without starting a personal relationship. I take the same approach when being an instructor to students, especially adult students. This allows you to be fair and unbiased. I feel that if students see that you are trying to be their friend that they become disappointed in your lack of professionalism. They come into class expecting a separation but at the same time they want to know that you care. I always am careful not to provide irrelevant personal thoughts other than those directly related to the subject matter. This I use as a tool to show how I grew or evolved, this demonstrates a human quality. Being well organized is another tell of professionalism. I have all my handouts laid out on a side table along with any "props" that will aide in my lecture. My students always see me refer to the outline of the days material to cover on my dry erase board which I take a very brief moment to go over with them as class begins so that they see I have a plan for their time. I also outline on the very first day my expectations and how I will conduct my class as I proceed through lectures and demonstrations. It is always important to have a short discussion on why I became an instructor and a brief outline of my experience as well as what it means to me to have come to a point in my career that I can offer knowledge of my trade to others so that they can become successful. Most of all of these things need to be established on the first day in order to set the tone for the term.
I retired from the military and coming over working for a technical college I have brought many of the attributes I learned in the military to the classroom along with the experience and professionalism that I sometimes see lacking in other instructors. It has become issues with instructors trying to be friends, friending them on facebook and other areas that when they are in the classroom the students feel they can get away with more. I also seen how it turns the classroom into a very toxic atmosphere if other students do not get into the drama but see or hear things that the instructor has done that has broken down that token of professionalism. When an instructor breaks that distance down they will find out just how hard it is to manage the class without their respect.
The students need to view the instructor as the instructor, not a buddy. Classroom management dissolves into a pool of chaos if students feel like the instructor is just there to hang out with them. I want my students to like coming to class, I want them comfortable and learning, but I do not want to spend valuable class time talking about personal issues with them. I feel it diminishes their view of the instructor.
Hi Cain,
Nicely stated! I can tell you maintain your distance from students based on your response. Students do not need another friend; they need role models. Students really do frown upon favoritism.
Patricia Scales
I believe if professional distance is not maintained and you become too friendly with some students it can cause issues with classroom management.
Students need to believe they are all being treated equally and fairly. If you are friendlier with some students than others it can lead to a perception of bias. This undermines your authority in enforcing classroom rules and causes questions when there is a subjective assessment.
The students you are friendlier with may attempt to leverage your relationship for their benefit.
Students who are not your friends may feel excluded and reduce participation levels.
These things can damage class morale and undermine the team learning concept and your role as the leader.
Students need to know that you care and that they are important to you...moreover that their success is important to you. Boundries can assist in setting a clear expectation of the faculty and teacher role
It is always a fine line to walk between professional instructor and still have a down to earth rapport with the studentss.
Maintaining Professional image is everything.
The student see you as a role model as an instructor. You are the authority figure in the classroom. If you show that you are not confident in yourself and in your field of instruction the students will not respect you and take advantage of you and control the classroom. Never let them see you sweet. Yes you will make mistakes try to maintain yourself have a sense of hummer we are all human and move on with the lesson. The students will see this and have more respect for you knowing that you are human and learn how to react when they make a mistake. We all learn from mistakes just don't make the same mistake again.
