Image is everything! If you can get them to understand that, they will have less of a shock when going out to the real world.
Hi Ronda,
Age is only a number. Try separating yourself from the students by having higher standards, make a strong professional presence, and lead by example so that they know you are the authoritarian.
Patricia Scales
This is important because student need to understand the hierarchy of the classroom. Instructors are here to teach, students are hear to learn and grow. I like to tell my students that I care about them and as long as they understand the teacher/student relationshop things will go smoothly. With the newer phenomenon of facebook/myspace I make it clear to students that I am a person who cares about you but I am not a friend/facebook friend. If students view you as superior/authority they will generally treat you with respect.
The biggest reason for keeping a professional distance is the fact the you don't share common ground.You are there to provide instuction and students are there to recieve it.In keeping
distance you are providing the most objective
learning environment possible
Instructors should maintain a professional distance from students to avoid conflicts of interest. Instructors who become "friends" with students risk being accused of favoritism or nepotism. Removing professional barriers between students and instructors also threatens the instructor with ethical and possibly legal issues. Students need instructors to maintain a professional distance. Students need instructors to teach them not befriend them.
Hi Dennis,
You will grow in this area. You have to continue to work hard on making the transition from being a student to now an employee. You can really sympathize and empathize with the students because you have been there and done that.
Patricia Scales
I know exactly how you feel. I deal with the same thing as well. Students are always thinking that I am one of their peers.
I am employed as a teaching assistant at the college where I recently graduated. I am fortunate to be in a position where I have very recent, direct experience I relation to the students that I work with. Students often come to me when they are experiencing difficulty with our instructor. While always careful to reinforce the instructors stance when trying to mitigate the students problem, there have been times when I have been a little to casual when dealing with these situations (I was "them" a year ago after all). I have addressed this with the instructors and it has never become an issue other than my feeling uncomfortable with it. Seems to be a part of the progression of becoming a professional.
I am the Program Chair and I am 31 ysars old. I have to wear scrubs, the same scrubs as my students to work. I find this to be a challenge in maintaining the way the students view me. The students around my age until they know who I am mistake me for their peer very often and speak to me as such. Meaning it is not always respectful. Where as the older students, despite my first thoughts, actually give me alot of respect as they know that I have alot of experience to have been able to obtain this job.
I even get approached by men in the other programs because they don't know that I am their superior. Nevertheless, looks can be deceiving how can I better get accross to the younger students that thought we are the same age I am not their friend I am their instructor. As such they need to be more professional with me?
Maintaining a professional image in making sure that you don't discuss your own life with the students and also not letting them discuss there's with anyone in the class.
In my opinion you need to carry yourself in a professional manner and keep a distance from the students because you have to remember that you are the instructor and you are not there to be there friend, you have to set the stage form day one. That is the best way to manage your class and also maintain a professional distance from the students.
Maintaining a professional distance is very important for the instructor due to the fact student feel to comfortable with the teacher
You need for the students to think of you as a professional so as to gain their respect.
HI Mohammed,
Students emulate our ways professionally or the lack there of.
Patricia Scales
In the career college being a mentor is more important than a friend. Being a mentor is being friendly not a friend, honesty is easier to accept from a mentor than a friend sometimes.
you should wear the clothing that is professional in the field of work that the students are going in to.
I totally agree Juanito. This is also what I tell my students. It is so important for the instructor to be the role model in the classroom.
I just recently discussed the importance of 'professionalism' in my class. I expressed to my students that the classroom would be their practicing area to exhibit some form of professionalism.
We discussed the meaning of professionalism and what is means when interviewing for a job. We discussed the importance of displaying professionalism in the class. I provided an example about Venus and Serena (the tennis players). I asked the class if they thought the sisters just went on the tennis court and said, "Ok, we are professionals." Or do they think they had to practice in order to be great at their skills. Of course, the class responded they had to practice first. In the end, I expressed to them that they need to practice being professionals now; therefore, when they begin to work in their field of study, it would come natural to them.
Yes, being professional is not just about attitude but also in the way we dress, attend to disputes in school, how we control our selves under stress.This is all professionalism, our students will sea that & react accordingly.
Every aspects count including the way you talking and dressing, however, at the end of the day, I believe it is your knowledge, your capability and your attitude that wins you the best respect from students. They come to class to learn, period.
