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 Friendly vs. Friend 
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In one of my other classes we touched on the topic of being a friend to your students, especially being a new teacher and only being maybe 4 years older than some of them. We discussed it briefly in that class, but this class would be much better at facilitating conversations about it. So my questions are:

How do you know where the line is between just being friendly to your students and being a friend? Should you keep the professional boundary and not let your students impose their personal life on you? Do you think it will get easier the older you get? What are your thoughts on being a new teacher and being so closely in age to your students (if you are teaching high school)?

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Drew O'Keefe


Wed Apr 22, 2009 11:29 pm
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This all depends on the student and how they feel towards you. I always want my kids to know they can talk to me about anything but if what they're telling me needs "higher" or more professional help, then i'd be quick to go about getting them that help. I think hanging out with your students outside of school can be very risky....especially while we're relatively close to them in age. I think the "professional boundary" you're referring to is one large gray area in the education system....we're expected to do so much and take on so many responsibilities...while at the same time if anything goes wrong, it's also our fault. :( Dang, I'm good at getting off-subject. lol

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Candace Powell


Thu Apr 23, 2009 1:20 am
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I agree with Candace. I don't think you can hang out with your students outside of school, but if you happen to see them at the grocery store you can totally say Hi and stop and chat.

I think us being young and being close in age to our students makes things more difficult. Students may see us more of a peer than as a teacher/leader whom they have to obey. One of my roommates is student teaching and he often has to put his foot down when female students make comments about his looks or the clothes he's wearing. We need to handle stuff like this professionally and put a stop to it as soon as possible.

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Peter Tarricone


Thu Apr 23, 2009 10:16 am
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This is something I think will be different for all of us, the line will not be the same for Peter as it will be for you Drew. My thoughts are if we carry ourselves with professionalism, in how we act, dress, and interact with our students especially at first while we're the youngest it will help diminish that problem of getting too close to our students. I defiantly agree with Candace that we must be open to our students and their problems, we're going to be counselors as much as teachers, and in order for them to feel like they could talk to us we must have a genuine interest in our students lives. This is a line that we're all going to have to set for ourselves.

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Patrick Watkins


Thu Apr 23, 2009 11:08 am
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