Hi Rebecca,
I concur! The student/instructor relationship should be strictly business.
Patricia Scales
Hi Anthony,
Absolutely! We are here for the students!
Patricia Scales
Hi Batrice,
It is imperative to make a strong presence on Day 1.
Patricia Scales
Hi Frank,
You are definitely on point. Once you enter the institution, the personal problems are left at the door. You must have your professional image on at all times.
Patricia Scales
Maintaining a professional distance is part of the preparation for students to be successful in their chosen career. I teach courses to prepare students to work in various Allied Health roles and physicians tend to not be friends with staff outside of other physicians. It is very important for students to understand the different definitions of peer in the work force otherwise what would seem to be a normal casual conversation could be seen a disrespectful of someones time and profession. That would be a terrible mistake for a new staff member to make.
I also mentor new faculty at our college. The very first topic I cover with them is avoiding friendships with students. It can be difficult as many people use social networking and students locate their instructors through public media websites. I strongly discourage new faculty I mentor and other faculty I supervise from giving out their cell phone numbers to students or corresponding with them through social media such as Facebook. I have seen this go very poorly for some Instructors over the years and it rarely proves as beneficial to the student.
I teach online and as an online instructor it is vital for an instructor to maintain professionalism. I realize that it is not just the content of what I teach that is important, but also the image that I present in the classroom. Now obviously online I do not have a dress-code, but there are other ways to create a professional image.
Organization is critical to maintaining a professional image. This means presenting class materials and the syllabus up-front and being clear with students about expectations and grading criteria. I also like to spell out timelines and provide students with feedback that is substantial and prompt.
I maintain a highly visible presence in the classroom. I also communicate often with students and answer questions in a prompt manner. I present my prose free from grammatical and typographical errors. I share my knowledge of my discipline, so that I can answer questions quickly and point students to a wide array of resources. All these hopefully help me be a role model for my students.
Because getting to friendly with your student is a violation of FERPA. Also studen t will expect too much from you, if they think your are friends.
Maintaing a professional distance is the ethical way to go, and you gain thier respect.
I have always been a strong advocate for maintianing the professional image. It gives the student an example on how it will be in the professional world. On field trips, in class, or meeting with students on off school days on campus I always insist in a professional image. You never know who you are going to run into or be introduced to during your college career. First impressions are extremely important and long lasting. I do have to address a lack of professional image once in awhile as students become more acclimated to classroom life. But a brief reminder about why we have to look and act professional usually resolves any recurring issues.
Mainting a professional image is very important. I personally choose to use the same dress code as our students do. So that the students see that I would not expect them to do anything I as the instructor would not.
To set a standard or rule is to live and govern ones self under guidelines.Professional image is viewed differently by every student, the one concensus is that if that the more professional teh instructor the more your class looks the part and also plays the part based on teh expectations of the instructor lead by example..
I feel that instructors are there to instruct and students are there to learn. It is not professional to get too envolved with students and their personal lives and vice versa. As someone stated prior, this can open up a pandora's box if handled inapppropriately. By no means does this mean that instructors don't care because we all do. We make a lasting impression on our students lives and the students look up to us. I feel that professors can be there for their students in a professional manner at all times. It is the word "professioanl" that we must maintain.
Thanks,
Sherry Davidson
Nursing Instructor
You can only serve one master at a time the friend person or the teacher one. If you present yourself as a friend the friend lets things slide a teacher should not, friends are on equal basis and a teacher my the definition of the word is above in statis. Yes as humans we are equal but in the social order there needs to be a order.
Appearance can be a factor and more so for some than others. In one case I had an instructor who wore jeans into the classroom but he won us over through his knowledge, professional character and the fairness he exhibited. I had other instructors who dressed great but dissappointed us becuase of their lack of caring or ability to relate to us.
You make a very good point. It is a very slippery slope that we are on here. You want to caome actross as freindly, approachable, caring and human but you also have to be seperated so that everything you do is not perceived as personal to a given student. You must treat the class fairly on an overall basis to gain the respect that is need to properly run the class.
By maintaining a professional image you work toward gaining respect from the students. They need a role model to build there career on.
Hi Tracy,
Absolutely! We simple show our students how to be professional, by unspoken and spoken ways.
Patricia Scales
Hi Serena,
Instructors must have boundaries so that students fully understand that you are the instructor, and they are the students.
Patricia Scales
Hi Cory,
You are on point! I like your outlook on professionalism. Continue to be a super role model for your students.
Patricia Scales
Hi Zach,
No one likes a fake! We have to be real, geniune, and sincere in every way as instructors.
Patricia Scales
Usually maintaining that professional image not only establishes the initial ground rules between you and the student but it also provides that student-instructor respect. It reduces work stress and any negative images and competency as an instructor. Students need to trust that you will keep their best interest in mind and that you will make the best choices in their career paths.
