without that distance you will not be able to address negative issues
Hi Sabine,
A student-teacher relationship should be kept strictly professional.
Patricia
Hi David,
That's right, treat every student the same. Do not potray to have favorites. Distance is important in a student-teacher relationship.
Patricia
Maintaining a professional distance from students is important part of class management, because the students are looking up to you and they are following in your foot step, because they are learning the Do's and Don'ts as to what they should do in the workplace.With doing so you have better management over your class.
Maintaining a professional distance from students is extremely important. For example, if the class found out that student Bill and instructor Williams would go grab a few beers after every class, they would start to think that student Bill would be receiveing special treatment because he is well liked by the instructor. In order to be an instructor with no bias, a professional distance must be kept between them and their students.
I agree with that statement, but at the same time the student needs to know that the instructor is the one that is in charge, and that this is not a buddy-buddy relationship. It is difficult for someone to try to assume a teacher-student relationship with a friend.
Hi Emilie,
What super ways to maintain your level of professionalism and to establish boundaries. Age is only an issue if you act immature and unprofessional. I was 23 years old when I started in this industry, and age was never an issue because I ALWAYS acted as a professional.
Patricia
By becoming friends, studens may get too comfortable in class and not follow class room rules as the rest of the class. Plus, the rest of the class will see the connection between the student and instructor and feel not as important and possibly jealous. It can also make other students think the "friend" student is getting special treatment and if that student gets a good grade, may not deserve it.
Hi Diane,
Instructors need to be professional at all times so that students know exactly how far to go.
Patricia
It is so much easier to keep the class moving when the instructor has set up a professional image. When an instructor cross over a line it muddies up the boundaries and often creates incidents that never would have existed if the instructor had maintained their boundaries.
Maintaining a professional image in class is important for a variety of reasons. In my opinion one of the most important is aiding a student in learning how they will need to relate to their boss. I find that a manager of a class room is much like being a manager of a team in the work force. You have different personalities to deal with and have to bring all of those personalities together for a common goal. By dressing professionally and keeping my behavior on a professional level the students will leave with an image of proper behavior in the work place. They may not realize it at the time, but when they step out to their new job, they will be able to draw from their experience in the class room and apply that knowledge successfully.
Teaching/Instructing is a gift – give your knowledge wisely. You are a teacher to enhance another person’s live – to make it better by being a professional and knowing the material you are teaching. Give students goals to meet, encourage discipline, self-esteem, and inspire motivation. It is very difficult to be a friend and a teacher at the same time. If you become their friend -- they want you to understand when they don’t get their work done and so you don’t give them a bad grade. It makes it very hard for the instructor to be objective. Students want you to be helpful and knowledgeable so they will learn something they need in live. You cannot treat adult students as children because you will insult them. You want to give respect to them so they will respect you as a teacher. I have been teaching for about 30+ years – adults and children – no one wants to be treated badly not even children. You can be a professional teacher/instructor with understanding of the student’s environment (family/work) so that your knowledge will assist them to be a better person by getting a degree and applying their knowledge (they have learned from you).
Hi Allison,
Nicely stated! I would much rather be respected versus being liked. In a perfect world being both are great, but I would choose repect over being liked.
Patricia
Hi John,
Continue to be a super role model. Our students need someone to look up to professionally. I believe in being the example I want my students to become.
Patricia
Hi Dr. Lewis,
Nicely stated! Student lose a ton of respect for you as their instructor whenever they consider you as one of their pals.
Patricia
Hi Allen,
Just like in our personal lives, buddy/pal expects favors, students will expect favors in an educational setting as well if you are considered to be a buddy/pal.
Patricia
Basically because if a "buddy", or a "Pal" relationship develops, then the grade will be influenced.
It is also an example of how you will act in the real world of your career. You will some day have people working for you and you will have to be more than a friend, you will be their supervisor and manager. In that capacity, you would have to make decisions which friendship could complicate your actions.
This is one of the most important items to consider when teaching. Setting appropriate boundaries allows for efficient instruction and students do better when given boundaries. They will be less likely to respect you if you are their buddy.
I purposely did not tell my students how old I was when I first started because I knew I was younger than many of them. I let them know that although I appreciated their attempts to "hang out" with me outside of work, it is not allowed by the school.
I consistently let them know that once they have graduated from the program they are welcome to friend request me via Facebook so we can stay in touch.
My first group of students has not graduated and they have all realized that I am more of a professional resource than a friend.
