Are you a teacher? What are teachers told in training courses about how close they can be with their students?

Question

I do not mean this in a sexually-related way at all.

I'm just wondering if teachers and pupils are allowed to talk about things other than work, see them like "friends" and so on.

Also, lots of people have posted questions where people have replied to and said that touching a teacher is wrong. Does this ban any form of physical contact completely? Even if it's something really simple like tapping them on the shoulder?

One last thing, do teachers discuss students in staff rooms/with other staff etc...?

Best answer goes to the teacher who replies to this question and answers all the above questions including the TITLE question :D

Thanks.

Answer 1

My fiance is a teacher and he always says it is v difficult to draw a clear line. Firstly tapping a shoulder is fine. But contact, friendly or not, is inappropriate and should not be allowed from either pupil or teacher.

Teaching courses state that 'reasonable force' can be used when presented with violence from a pupil...although this is clearly a vague statement!!

Teachers and pupils cannot be friends - not even once the pupil reaches sixth form. Any crossing of this line can rightly result in dismisal of the teacher.

Teenage angst and crushes are one of the hardest things to control as a teacher.

Do they discuss kids in the staff room...h**l yes and at home too!!! And they don't hold back let me tell you!!

Answer 2

Am I a teacher? Former teacher.

Training courses? I was taught professional detachment.  Most of my colleagues believed in the professional detachment model.

I preferred and more believe in the "Patch Adams" style.  A student is more likely to care if they know that you [the teacher] care.

Physical contact?  This is strange ground because of the litigious society in which we live.  I had (high school) students who wanted to hug me.  My standard response was to not allow it and I would say that if I let you hug me then everyone will want to hug me and I'd never get any work done.

Tap on the shoulder? OK.  Handshake? OK.

Do teachers discuss students in the staff room... yep.  Teachers are human too.

Answer 3

Be careful, being a teacher is tough just like what you said. Some teachers do not care about students personally at all they keep it as perfessional as possible. This is the safest way to teach, but not the best for the students. Many students need someone to care about them. What happens is you make sure you don't put yourself in a position that you can not defend yourself. I am a male teacher I give hugs to the students I am close to, but I am never along with a female student or give them rides along. I will give my male basketball players rides home along, to me it is a little different. You have to find out what is best for you. In everything the middle ground is the best. You have to show that you care about your students that is the only way some will be able to get through life!! Good luck

Answer 4

I am a retired teacher. Over 30 + years I have taught every grade level from K through adult.  We weren't told much of anything in our training courses about student contact, although it was generally understood that sexual contact was inappropriate. At the time I went to school, we were encouraged to make family contacts, home visits etc. I see very little of that happening now.  I still enjoy going to weddings, graduations, baptisms, first communuions etc.  If a family invites me, I try to attend.  I also have been a 4-H leader for even longer than I have been a teacher.  Camping, community service,  and projects also help develop relationships between the kids and I.

Of, course teachers are allowed to discuss non educational topics with students.  How else would we establish rapport? However, until the students are out of school, the teacher should limit his or her own self disclosures. I have found that elementary school students are more open to touching and being touched.If a kindergartner runs up to give me a hug, I let them hug me and give them a brief hug back.   I try to be especially careful about those kisses from kids.  They are spontaneous and unpredictable. If it is not pratical to move away, quickly turn face to side to get a cheek kiss. Avoid lip kisses! Often, at the end of the school year, kids are emotional and want a hug even through high school.  Teachers develop a sideways ( not full frontal) form of a hug. Some students, especially some special needs students need to be trained about personal boundaries  and appropriate touch. As I worked with older students, I found myself consciously keeping physical distance, but more likely to share personal information.

Tapping on the shoulder is generally acceptable, especially if the student hasn't responded to a spoken statement.  Also, tapping might be appropriate if you are trying to get a student's attention without disturbing other students.  A child who jerks away from a light shoulder touch may have been physically abused.

Do teachers discuss students... oh yeah!  In our school we tried to be careful that only teachers were in the room, not subs, and not volunteers.  We tended to focus on sharing celebrations and student successes,funny comments, scheduling changes etc.  Complaints are encouraged to be discussed privately.

There are some students who have kept in contact with me over the years.  I have taught their kids and even their grandkids.

Answer 5

I hugged my first graders all the time.  I don't see a problem with it.