Being liked or respected?
Respect goes a long way. I figure they are paying for education not for my friendship. Matter-of-fact, I believe that trying to establish friendships with students interferes with their learning.
It is always nice for your students to feel comfortable with their instructors, however being respected is the top priority.
I find that having a small class seems to make the student and instructor be more personal. It is much more difficult to have 3 or 4 students than 33!
In my opinion it is the most important to be respected instructor.
I completely agree. I have found that making friends leads to all sorts of issues down the road. It is a fine line to talk, though, I'll say. You have to be "friendly" but not friends per se.
