Tuesday, January 1, 2019

Can teachers and students be friends?

This is an important question regarding instructional effectiveness since it brings up issues related to engagement, barriers, comportment, and respect which are all key elements in a teacher-student relationship. The question is on a lot of teachers’ minds because of the rise of the social-media culture.This is not an either/or perspective, and it clearly must be more subtle in an environment like a classroom. But we have to keep in mind that it can help maintain more of a personal/professional “equilibrium” and help students learn important life lessons.
Organizers believe that private relationships usually involve our family and friends, where our imperfections tend to be accepted. We expect not to be judged, and we expect loyalty and love without any sense of judgement or comment. Public relationships encompass everyone else. What needs to be implemented is a mutual dependence relationship where we expect respect and gain it by being accountable for our actions.

The bottom line, then, is that I view the teacher/student relationship as a public one, a caring one, a relationship that requires great patience and understanding, but, nevertheless, a public one.


5 comments:

  1. I really think, at least with school students, being friends is not a recommended practice. Interactions with friends are awkward to recreate with students leading to situations where you're expected to have those students you see as "friends" as favorites. They'll feel entitled to special treatment because of it and is ultimately not something I see that would work well.

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  2. I think it is all about " being friendly but not a friend!" Most of the times students will take things for granted; they'll feel that it's okay not to do chores, homework or be responsible. It's important to be caring, loving and flexible but never a friend!

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  3. Being friendly with your students can build a safe and warm classroom climate which results in the success of the teacher and students.

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  4. In my opinion, the teacher should be friendly not a friend, most often the friendship between teacher and students doesn't have positive results and destroy the boundaries between them.

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  5. Well i believe that friendship is not the ideal relationship between the teacher and her students. The teacher should be the source of trust, comfort, and information for her students. She should gain the students trust, and have the students know that she is always their for them. However their must be always there a sort of a wall that separates them apart where the students will always know that she is nit a friend or a family member but she is a teacher that will always be there for them.

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Can teachers and students be friends?

This is an important question regarding instructional effectiveness since it brings up issues related to engagement, barriers, comportment, ...