Maintaining a professional image is important because your job is to be a role model for that it looks like to be a professional in every aspect. The students need to know we care about their success, but maintaining a professional distance is important for our students to respect us.
Personal involvement is not professional. Students are not in the class to become friends. They need to see you as a professional
Hi Cenek,
Instructors are the role models! We should be the professionals that we want our students to become. Lead by example.
Patricia Scales
THIS KEEPS A PROFESSIONAL APPEARANCE AND RESPECT AS AN INSTRUCTOR
Instructors lead by example and maintaining a professional image fits right in.
It is important because it sets a foundation for quality learning. The students will view you a role-model, a leader, and a person of expertise. They will value your input and follow your direction. By befriending a student, you give up your authoritative role and they view you as a peer, an individual that is of equality to them. With my students I have developed personal rapports, but have maintained boundaries for a productive learning environment.
Maintaining a professional distance from students an important part of class management because if a student feels as if you are a close friend, expectations may be present.
Hi Misty,
You have it! Students will only play on your age if you allow them to do so. Make your presence known as a confident, knowledgeable, pepared, professional. I started in this industry when I was 23, and age was never an issue due to the way I carried myself.
Patricia Scales
I agree... I am a rather young instructor, and at times people think I am a student! With my age, I have to definatetly make sure that they always see me as the instructor, and to be sure not to befriend them in a way that they begin to loose repect for me, and my class. It's a fine line when we are young instructors, however, we must set the tone up front that it can not be crossed
Students are there to learn, they do not need another friend they need someone to guide them in the field they wish to work in.
So important. We need to raise the bar of professionalism and honoring our profession. It is so important to be respected. We are here to be the example, not a friend.
It is important to remember the experience in your profession acquired from (many) years of practice. One should remind themselves regularly of this acquisition and present it with confidence throughout the class instruction.
I am always interested in my students' life when their actions might negatively impact the learning process. I can give guidence when asked, but also remind them that their presence in class is primarily to provide a better life for loved ones.
It shows respect for each individual student. It also shows that the main point for being there is to instruct the students and help in any way possible.
As teachers we must always maintain a professional boundary with our students. It not only serves to protect us as a teacher, but also our students.
you cannot be a friend and a parent, by this I mean that you are a parent to the students and they need to respect you not always like you. When you try to be their friend, you may allow things to slide that you normally wouldn't.
Befriending students leads to complications. Not only will other students loose respect for you as an instructor but then possibly having to face issues of favoritism.
Losing that professional distance between instructor and student opens the door for many negative impacts for the class that can take away from learning. Instructors need to remain professional in appearance, work, and deed to create a healthy environment for learning. Instructors still need to be able to coach and mentor their students but never sacrifice their professionalism.
I believe as instructors the way you carry yourself and your personal appearance makes a difference on maintain a professional image.
Patricia,
Maintaining the image associated with a choosen career field is critical to the students. The professional image teaches what is expected in a professional environment. Just like when we were children we modeled ourselves after our parents. The same principles apply to any learning experience. So conducting, demonstrating and teaching how to conduct oneself in the choosen field can determine employment.
Rebecca Boghich
