Hi Amber,
I agree! We should hold ourselves to higher standards than that of the students.
Patricia
Hi Ruth,
I concur! Students examine us very closely and will quickly decide how professional or unprofessional we are. We should act as professionals at all times.
Patricia
This is an absolute to be professional educator. We cannot have students think of us as there buddies. As professionals we uphold standards and these standards can become diluted when their is a perception that an instructor is "best friends" with his or her students. Other students watch and see all of the interactions and they learn about professionalism by the actions we make. I saw a student recently after class on the phone with her family trying to find out where her ride was at that time. I greeted her as I walked by. I know from student records that she lives in the same direction that I do but out of professional distance I did not stop and offer her a ride. A male instructor with a female student driving away together is not what any school system would condone. I have great compassion for my fellow man but I also know that I must remain professional. I waited in my car out of her view until I saw her family come get her for security reasons but I never discussed that with her nor did I ask her about anything associated with the incident.
I think it is important to develop a good rapport with my students, but also to maintain distance and not cross the line from "instructor" to "friend." Developing a good rapport allows my students to respect me as an individual, as an instructor, and allows them to feel comfortable approaching me with questions or concerns. I feel that if I would cross that line and become "friends" with my students, they no longer view me as someone they need to respect, but as someone they can treat as a "friend." This might include using different language, showing an attitude, and not taking me or the class seriously.
by Ruth Whitaker
It is important to maintain a professional image inorder to ensure the student's respect.
Not only am I required to help students learn a topic, I must also given them constructive feedback, grade their work and maintain order in my classroom. Doing this as a "buddy" is not effective. Maintaining a professional distance avoids the blurred boundaries that being a buddy creates.
We are training them to be professionals, so at the very least we need to be professionals ourselves. By this I mean we need to hold ourselves to the standards of our profession and be a great role model.
The professional image is a very important part of student learning. It gives the student a goal and sets the standard that the student's potential career path will develop into after college.
As an instructor, it is important to represent the profession that you have experience in in a professional manner. Once you lose the respect of the students, it is difficult to get any point across to them. Part of respect is professionalism.
Hi Kelli,
Distance is key in the student/teacher relationship. The relationship should be kept strictly professional.
Patricia
It is important so that you do not become to close to the students.
Because you always want to drawn that fine line between instructor-student relationship and friendship.
Hi Carol,
I agree! BIG mistake, when students view you as having favorites. Favoritism is frowned upon by students. Be professional, and treat ALL students the same.
Patricia
I feel the study shoudl have boundaries and you as a teacher should promote those boundaries, we should not become the student's friend but instructor to lead them to successful and as a teacher we should keep that distance.
You want students to view you as someone who can increase their skill set and guide them on their career path. You need to be approachable, and personable, able to answer their questions without making them feel bad about themselves. But you are not there to be their buddy, the minute you do this the "student" starts talking to you in a familiar tone as they would their friends, it makes it awkward for you around other students and they perceive you as having favorites! Big mistake!
Hi Jean,
I concur! Students look at you in a different light whenever you befriend them; they lose all respect for you as their instructor.
Patricia
Keeping a professional distance is important because once you become "friends" with a student you lose respect as an instructor.
It helps maintain the needed professional rapport with students.
Need to keep the professional image durning class. Friends only miss things up.
Hi Rita,
I concur! Showing favoritism is frowned upon in the educational environment and for that matter in any environment. It is simple, treat every student the same.
Patricia
