Teacher or friend? which is it?
Submitted by Oliver on March 02 1999 at 00:15:16
|
Hello Family, Recent discussions of influencing the lives of kids has left me struggling with an issue of my own. How and where is the line to be drawn of being a teacher to a student and being his freind? I'm less than a year away from teaching full time. I enjoy and believe strongly in the relational side of education, but it's easy for me to want to be the child's friend and it's not easy to be a teacher to a friend. Jesus was a teacher to his disciples, but he was also thier friend and brother. I know it's important to show I care, that I'm interested in what my students do and how they learn, I've even gone to the sporting events of students I've tutored or mentored, I don't see a problem with that either. I've even heard of techers who open thier homes to students. I'm not sure I could do that, for more reasons than one, but it still leaves me hanging, where is that relationship line drawn? It is an issue I have to be cautious with and deal with before I enter the profession full time. I'm working with primarally 5th and 6th graders now. Any thoughts? Prayers also welcome. Thanks, Oliver |