Common mistakes Instructors make with students
Common mistakes instructors make with adult students is sharing to much personal information and wanting to be their buddies.
Education needs to be fun agreed - but sometimes the stricter we are in the beginning and by attrition the control is a common practice.
Respect is a two way process that needs to be adhered..
Boundaries are important as well
Hi Tracy,
I concur! There are several issues that may need to be taken to a private setting. Never call students out in front of others. The students will try to save face and may become very disrespectful.
Patricia
We need to remember that they are students we are not to be friends but we need to make sure to show them we are human. Instructors need to stick firm on their decisions and a issue about a assignment needs to be talked about outside of class not with other class mates around.
Great point mention both sides of the problem. Once this happens it would be a very sticky situation to get out of and the instructor would instantly lose the respect of other students.
Hi Tracy,
This is what teaching is all about, the impact that you made on them that they will never forget. I get phone calls and visits from students from years ago as well.
Patricia
The class room is business but I find that a little bit of humor goes along way,we also need to keep in mind that if you show concern it might make that small difference to a student that might be used to nothing but negative remarks. My students still phone me from time to time just to say thanks for that little extra push.
Tracy
Hi Kathi,
That's right! Being professional at all times is a must!
Patricia
I think it is important to tell a little about your background but keep it professional.
This is very true. I have seen this happen with coleagues and it is a bad situation to fall into. Let them know you are human,and that you have a family. But that is as far as it should go. You can't be objective if it gets personal.No breaks or lunches with your students either, in my opinion.
This is so true. If you start too tough, you can always lighten up. If you start off too easy, you can never go back.
One of the common mistakes instructors make is not establishing a tone and boundaries in the beginning. It is easier to set the tone in the beginning than it is to try to come back and change the tone. Students need to know and understand what is and is not acceptable in the classroom with academics and behavior.
It is true, a perfect example is relationship with your children, you show them that you are reachable and you care but the respect has to be maintained. You can not share everything with them and besides it should always remain professional. The main goal is to enhance learning.
Family personal business should not be shared. But if you are drawing upon your past for real life examples, sharing is a good thing.
Pamela and Patricia,
I think one strategy to keep your classroom under control is to ensure that you have ALL of your classroom time planned very carefully, so as to keep your students engaged and on-task for your entire classtime.
As one of our other colleagues mentioned, this is "strictly business."
Deena
Miyuki and Patricia,
I agree with both of you in that the classroom strictly is business.
We are there to learn; the learning should be comfortable, engaging, and fun.
However, tool casual of an instructor tone only can lead to disaster.
I try to be accessible to my students, yet I set definite boundaries and distance upfront, particularly for onground classes.
Deena
Hi Travia,
Absolutely! Nice mesh by having fun and learning, but DO NOT let the students control the classroom.
Patricia
I agree with your post. I believe that the classroom should be fun to keep everyone into the lesson but you must still have control over the class.
I agree. When an instructor switches from instructor to friend he has lost the respect as an instructor who is in charge, now he is the student's buddy. Once that happens, if the instructor gives a grade the student feels isn't fair because they are friends, it becomes a sticky situation for the instructor. There is no space between the student and instructor. The student feels he is the same as the instructor and that since they are friends the student should get special treatment.
Hi Miyuki,
Absolutely! We do not need to be their cool friend. My moto is to keep EVERYTHING striclty business.
Patricia
