Get Your Students Hired
As a class manager,the instructor earns respect from the class. The teacher's involvement with the class occurs during class activities. A teacher's mannerism, style of dress, manner of speech, and off campus activities affect the professional image. The instructor exhibits a proper example to the student.
Hi Irina,
It is simple, treat ALL students the same so that no student feels slighted.
Patricia
Students in the class are very sensitive. If teacher gives one student more attention than another it always creates some questions. Why? May be they are friends? Better to maintain friendly professional relationship with whole class.
Hi Venusa,
It is simple, the instructor should lead in a way so that he or she is always regarded as the authoritative figure.
Patricia
Hi Rick,
I agree! Distance is important in a student/instructor relationship. As instructors, we need to be regarded as such, not their friend.
Patricia
Hi Cynthia,
I concur! An instructor's sole purpose is to educate the student, not befriend them.
Patricia
You are there to instruct them and also to make sure that students know that we care for them and their learning experience. Once you cross that line of becoming friends or buddies, students will quickly lose respect for your. Students also need to understand that this is a professional enviorment and can't just make anybody their friend. It is important to keep the students trust and respect as their instructor and nothing else.
The students need to view you as a professional not a friend so keeping this distance is a very important part of the professional image
Maintaining a professional distance from students is an important part of class management because it establishes respect between instructor and student. It also avoids familiarity which can create unfavorable experience such as stduents noncompliance of tasks assigned, taking instructor's authority for granted and sometimes students lose their respect since the instructor is identified as a part of them or one among them. Authority will also be compromised if professional distance is not maintained and consequently inefficiency in classroom management ensues.
Hi Kurt,
I concur! There is a line that has to be drawn so that respect is granted.
Patricia
I'm not there to be their friend, I am there to transfer knowledge to them. If you get too close, there can be a loss of professional respect and the learning opportunities can be hampered. This is not a lot different than the professional distance you must maintain from those you supervise in your work environment.
Kurt
I made this mistake when I first started teaching 5 years ago. You want the students to like you but eventually it ends up hurting the relationship. I feel they start to expect "favors" from you in relation to due dates and other course requirements. It can be a very slippery slope.
I am the instructor not their buddy or friend. I need to set the example of a professional by dressing and acting as a professional.
Hi Kelly,
I concur! It seems real contradictory to try to be both to this one person. The roles must be established an played out to the fullest extent.
Patricia
I agree. The instructors are the first professionals most of these students see and it is imperative that we demostrate professionalism in the way we carry ourselves, dress, our attitudes, language, and social interactions. I think a social skills/networking workshop should be a requirement for all students, but especially graduating seniors. This will help prepare them for interviews in an office as well as interviews over lunch/dinner.
I have said for a long time during my career that you cannot be friends with someone AND try to be in charge or be their boss. I think that this applies in the classroom as well.
The line that an instructor draws between herself and her students is essential in developing a rapport as well as classroom management.
Hi Ghia,
We are some of our students ONLY role models. We must lead by example.
Patricia