The answer is in the question: "professional". Students need to see the teacher as a professional and understand each other's role. A teacher needs to help their students and a student needs to learn from their teacher. Once this is established then the class will run smoothly.
We are their role models and they will want to follow the instructor who is well polished and professional. They may like the instructor who is their friend more but that is not why I am here. I have to be professional and realize that there are boundaries that should not be crossed.
Hi Gregory,
I agree! The student/teacher relationship should never be on a personal level. The relationship should be strictly professional.
Patricia
Ho Jose,
You must set your students apart so that respect is earned on your part. When students regard you as one of them, they will not respect you.
Patricia
Hi Vanessa,
I concur! Personal is no place for the classroom. The student/teacher relationship should be all about business; strictly professional.
Patricia
It allows the students to respect you as in instructor more - especially new instructors. As an instructor you also have to be confident in yourself. Many students didn't grow up in an environment where it was proper to "dress up" for work. Some students go to work in jeans and a t-shirt. You can present yourself better when you're professionally dressed for the occasion.
I think that this goes back to modeling if we want students to do what we say then we need to do what we say as well.
With on distance I think you set yourself up for a host of problmes. Students cannot or will not respect someone they see on their own level. regardless of age or gender.
they need to know that there is a barrier and they should never know too much about your personal life.
You are setting yourself up for RESPECt from your students, the students should never be able to feel that they are at the same level as you regardless of age or gender.
It's almost like being somewhat of a different entity. If there is no professional distance then you fall into their "Pal" category and things you say and demand from them are taken as a joke and the respect for you goes out the window
As the saying goes,"familiarity breeds contempt." This is especially true in a student -instructor relationship where maintaining this professional distance is extremely integral. Otherwise, the absence of it may create a murky relationship between student and instructor.
As a role model, you must set the bar for expectations in the classroom. What you do will be thought of as "accepted behavior" not only in the classroom, but in the chosen field as well. Act as you expect students to act.
I think in this day of casual clothes and "half-mast" trousers, instructors need to model the image and demeanor that marks a professional. But professional distance doesn't have to be a barrier. By explaining that I loved my former pretty nails, but this is why the CDC found against artifical and polished nails, shows them how to do critical thinking about their own image.
I think its important to keep that professional distance so students dont take advantage of you because of a "friendship". You want them to know you care about them as an instructor and you want them to succeed.
I love that Juanito I have to use it! Thanks.
Students do need to get used to situation that they will experience in the workplace. While we all want bosses that we like, there still needs to be someone in charge to make the hard decisions, such as work assignments, dismissals, promotions. Removing the buddy-buddy relationships helps eliminate hurt feelings because the student or employee thought your were his pal.
Then you don't have the problem of "He/She is your favorite". Or the appearance of being inappropriate.
Hi Cindy,
Great response. Students really do get aggravated when the instructor ALLOWS students to take up classroom time discussing their personal issues. Life happens with us all. We have to remember, it's a place and time for everything. The classroom is not the place nor the time to discuss personal issues. Keep business strictly professional in the classroom.
Patricia
Hi Rene,
That's right! Start by being a professional and if you haven't start to be a professional. Real simple.
Patricia
Hi Karoline,
Students really and truly respect you more when they regard you as being a professional. Students really are not looking for another friend, they need someone to look up to.
Patricia
We all have different roles in our lives, students and instructors alike. Students do not appreciate other students bring their personal lives and taking up classroom time or talking about inappropriate topics.
We as instructors set the tone for the whole class and it should be one of respect anc caring. If we stay in our role as instructor we can continue to communicate our humanness and be more effective than if we step into being a buddy.
Once we cross the line the relationship becomes blurred and our effectiveness decreases.
Cindy
