One of my favorite “Calvin and Hobbs” comics featured a conversation between Calvin and his mother. She told him that she saw his teacher, Mrs. Wormwood, shopping at the supermarket, much to Calvin's surprise, who remarks, “I thought teachers slept in coffins all summer.” While a long nap (minus the coffin) at the end of a school year is mighty tempting, it was the notion of the students' perception of me as a teacher which got my attention.
I've always found it a delicate balance between closeness and aloofness when dealing with students – too close, and students see me more as a friend than as a figure of respect; too aloof, and I turn into an 80s high school movie cliché. It's a tightrope act, one which every teacher must walk in accordance with their own teaching style and personality.
For myself, I find myself leaning towards the students, trying to maintain a “friendly, but not a friend,” attitude. In spite of this, I always find myself concerned when I hear my students refer to me as a “cool” teacher – part of me things I'm letting them get away with too much. As professionally as I maintain myself, I've still had my share of interesting encounters.
I've had students offer virtual friendships on various social networking sites. I've received invitations to various social events and gatherings. I've had students try to set me up on dates with their family members – cousins, sisters, even parents. I've even had students offer to sell me drugs. For the record, I've declined all such offers. But it has made me very mindful about how much of my personal life teachers should share with their students – especially older (secondary and post-secondary) students such as the ones I teach.
Should we be encouraged or concerned when our students want to know more about us as people? Is the fact that they're thinking about us as not just teachers cause for encouragement or concern?
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