How Attached Are You To Your Students?
When you teach, it’s natural to get attached to your students; however, if you’re wondering if you’re getting too attached; or if you’re not attached enough; then you need to examine what actions you’re taking and why it is you’re taking them.
1. How Much Time?
It’s expected that, if a student needs it, a teacher will spend a little extra time with him or her to help them really grasp their lessons. You need to look at the amount of time you’re willing to spend with your students and ask yourself whether or not it goes over and above your dedication to being a teacher, and you’re doing it more for your students’ benefit then because it’s your job as a teacher.
2. How Much Effort?
Are you willing to do things to help your students over and above what is strictly within your responsibilities as an educator? Are you willing to help them find jobs, fill out college applications and provide insight into other, real-world endeavors that go beyond the scope of teaching English, science or math? If so then that’s how you can tell you are attached to your students and you want to help them to better for themselves.
3. Do You Miss Them?
This is one of the biggest measurements of how attached you are to your students; when they’re gone, you miss them. This is normal considering how much time you spend with your students, but if you get a little too misty eyed then you might want to take a step back and re-examine the professional distance that a teacher does have to keep.
4. Do You Check?
One sign that you are attached to a student or students is that you check up on them once they’ve passed on after your class. You see what their grades are, talk to their current teachers and make sure that everything is going all right for them. This helps reassure you that the transition went well and that they no longer need your help anymore.
It’s perfectly understandable that you might get attached to students, especially prime pupils, over the years. However, it’s also normal to worry about the students who didn’t achieve so highly. But you have to maintain a certain barrier to keep your attachment professional.
Alex Holiday is a retired teacher and a general contractor. He likes to volunteer in the school he taught at and occassionally will help out as a substitute. He enjoys working with his hands and designing homes as a hobby. He is currently breaking ground on another three homes. He uses http://www.homeequityloan.net to save money and keep the cash flow moving while he enjoys building homes for families.