In the medical field a professional appearance is always expected. I share with my students that professionalism includes hair up, clean trimmed nails, clean pressed uniform and a smile.
It is important to maintain a distance from your students to keep the level of respect and to maintain the integrity of the education.
I am so glad that early on in my own career and as a student my instructors always told me, as a student, presenting a professional image is key to landing that job. Through the years I have learned that when you are out and about you never know who you will come in contact with that can help you with that next career opportunity. I may be a newbie as an instructor but professionalism in the classroom should always be maintained. For a project presentation I told the students that they could either give their presentation in their required uniforms or they could present as an instructor would, they were the ones teaching the class. Some took advantage of "dressing up". I believe this gave them a sense of being more than just the student for the evening. They could take pride in themselves, they could become the instructor.
Because students need to feel like they can trust their instructors and trust what they say and how they act. Letting a student get too friendly is always a bad idea because it makes them lose respect.
It is important because if you get to close to your students they may feel you owe them a good grade even if they do not earn it. Or you may have a situation where they feel since they did something for you as their friend you owe them a good grade as a friend as well.
When students lose respect for your classroom authority, rather by you trying to befriend them or your inability lead due to inexperience, it is difficult to regain control. Professional distance allows you to remain in the "driver seat."
Hi Todd,
Yes, we serve as role models for our students in so many other different ways other than academics.
Patricia Scales
By maintaining a professional distance from students you set clear boundaries of what is and is not appropriate. All too often lines are blurred which can create ethical issues and hinder the learning process of the student.
Maintaining a professional image helps the student have respect for you and the profession also helps to control the class.
As an instructor, it is just as important to maintain a professional image in the work place as it is with any other job. In the classroom, you must look as if you are leading the class, not just attending it. If you do not, you risk the chances of the students not respecting you. In the college that I instruct, students must wear uniforms and it is strictly enforced. If my appearance or my actions does not reflect a positive professional image, students will not respect any rules that I set forth.
Respect is earned, control is taken. Both are difficult to establish if you are viewed as the students equal.
While students are in a particular class to learn the specific subject matter they can also learn many other things like professionalism, humility, respect and so on.
I like to explain to my students that being a professional has encompassed many attributes, knowledge, attitude and a moral compass. If any one of those topics are broken then I will not respect the situation and leave the situation until order is resolved.
is important we as instructors set the tone
Professional image is everything!!! students have seen me in front of the class either in scrubs or professionally dressed with a lab coat. I speak clear and enunciate while reviewing testing information and while doing lecture notes. I show the students that I am a profession and I am confident in my work.
Maintaining a professional image is important because we are here to teach and we should not become to personal with students.
If an instructor gets too close to the students, too much personal information can be revealed and make for an unprofessional environment.
You need to show them professionalism and personal space especially for the work force. It teaches the student to be respectful also.
Hi Rob,
It works! I have been teaching for 25+ years, and you do gain the respect of students if you give them respect.
Patricia Scales
