Being Friends With Students
I used to teach at a college where it was expected the instructors 'friend' their students on Facebook, give their personal email addresses (not just their college emails), add them to their tweet list (and it was encouraged to be on Twitter), etc. Some instructors even went to student's parties. A recent video has a student stating his instructor is his best friend.
I never did any of that. To me, this is fraught with peril. One instructor literally tweeted how proud he was that he could take a photo and tweet while driving. This sends the wrong message to the students. They look up to us (most of the time) and some want to emulate us. I could see potential lawsuits coming from that if a student got into a wreck, hurt herself or someone else, and said "But my instructor does it".
Students will ask me to friend them, but I politely refuse.
I totally agree with keeping a clear line drawn between students and instructors. This can sometimes be very difficult to do. In my case, I'm a 32 year old male which happens to be the typical age group of my students. Needless to say, there are alot of interest that we all have in common. However, if I allow myself to be put on thier level my classroom management will be no more. I have to constantly watch what i wear, how i talk, and what opinions i choose to relay to the class. If i don't then the students will no longer look at me as thier leader. Without leadership in the classroom there can be no order. No order in the classroom equals chaos and no one gets the knowledgre that they paid for. Its a lose lose situation.
Hi Wes,
I agree! Social networking can work for us, yet on the flip side they can work against us too. Make the social network a positive professional tool and establish boundaries just as you would in a face-to-face conversation.
Patricia Scales
Some career colleges will encourage instructors and staff to create professional social networking accounts with which students may interact. I believe that this can be an effective communication tool but there must be guidelines and decorum. Too often these mediums can be skewed to a personal tone and cause all sorts of issues.
Hi Kathy,
This is never a good mixture in the education environment whenever you mix authority with friendship!
Patricia Scales
Hi Talbatha,
I concur! The instructor/student relationship should be strictly business!
Patricia Scales
I agree this is opposite of the way it is at our college. I don't know how you could have the respect and discipline required for a class if you’re partying with your students. I have become friends and spent time with students after they graduate and we become peers.
There are some instructors that have crossed the line and become friends with students and you can surely see a difference in the class atmosphere. There are also many complaints from students about favoritism.
This type behavior seriously concerns me, mixing business and pleasure hardly ever results in good outcomes. As a professional and leader there are standards that one must value and abide by. Instructor-student relationships should be in the classroom environment to foster educational growth.
My thoughts!
Wow!!! That is a huge fireable offense at the college where I work!!! We can be friends with students on FB only AFTER they have completed the program and we no longer have control of their grades. Our school is very strict about maintaining professional distance, yet caring about the students success. I agree with you!
