Hi John,
Each person needs to play their role. The student acts as student, and the instructor leads in every way as a professional.
Patricia Scales
Hi Candace,
Set yourself apart from your students. Age is only a number. Show your students how a true professional should act. Make your students want to be like you when they grow up, so to speak.
Patricia Scales
Hi LeJean,
Absolutely! As an instructor, we must set boundaries and play the role of the instructor. Students do not need another friend, they need as many professional role models as possible.
Patricia Scales
Because that distance better facilitates their overall educational experience, as well as allowing you to fulfill your teaching/educational duties, etc also.
Everything I have read here has helped a lot. I have struggled with this topic because I am the same age as many of my students which makes it easy to become friends and we have the same interests or know the same people. I know now I should be much more cautious of my professional image as an instructor
A professional distance is important as it distinguishes between "being an instructor" and NOT being a student's friend.
Hi Juan,
I agree! We are the professional, and we need to act accordingly.
Patricia Scales
Hi Bryan,
Students need to have a professional example to emulate.
Patricia Scales
If your students veiw you as a peer they may take advantage and direspect your class. As an instructor we are the authority in the class if we are on their level then it can cause a disruption in class and they class wont meet goals.
I dont know, in baseball the managers wear the same uniforms and they are in charge. :)
Hi Autumn,
I agree! Students will emulate you good or bad, hopefully we provide good examples for our students to emulate.
Patricia Scales
To maintain objectivity and fairness in the eyes of the class and to the potential friend.
It creates boundries and respect. If they dont see you being professional they will follow by your examples.
Hi Tena,
You are on target! We should be the professionals that we want our students to emulate.
Patricia Scales
As an instructor we are setting the image for our students. Instructors must maintain respect of the class. If your class does not respect you then you have no control bottom line. When we speak about professional image, this includes our ethics, appearance, and behavior. Some students truly don't know that these images matter in life. We must carry ourselves professional at all times rather it is verbal or nonverbal. We can be a friend and be friendly but a distance.
Hi Erik,
I agree! The instructor/student relationhip should be kept professional at all times.
Patricia Scales
Hi Rah\'Meka,
I concur! The student/teacher relationship should be strictly business.
Patricia Scales
Hi Tricia,
Your thoughts are accurate! Instructors should lead by example!
Patricia Scales
Maintaining a professional distance from students is fundamental in maintaining mutual respect, and professional integrity in the learning enviroment.
If the instructor/student relationship sways towards a personal relationship, it could cause the class to lose much respect towards an instructor since then a conflict of interest is clearly assumed.
It is extremely important to maintain a high regard and level of respect. Once the friendship line has been crossed, the regard that a student has for a teacher may fall.
