What do you think of a professor who takes his students (who are willing to go) out to a bar?

Question

to get a drink after class (all 21 or older)?

heard about this a year ago

Answer 1

Relationships between teachers and students are much different than professors and students. There's a huge maturity change. I graduated from HS a year ago and just finished my freshman year of college. I feel like I'm much better "friends" with my professors, and if some had invited me to a bar I probably would have gone

Answer 2

I had some profs like this. If it's done as an opportunity to keep class conversations going and not just to hang out with young students, and if the prof is appropriate with everyone, great! I used to enjoy those opportunities.

Answer 3

friendly invitation, all legal age, what's the big deal?  This HAS to be a question from the USA; other countries don't have the alcohol hangups we have here!

Answer 4

To me, it's not an alcohol hangup at all.  Although getting drunk certainly will not help your credibility.

As a professor myself, I try to avoid situations where it seems that I might play favorites.  I don't want to seem stuck-up, but my job as a teacher isn't to socialize with students.  Yes, I want to get to know them and I do  . . . in appropriate ways.  It's important not to play favorites, or give the illusion of playing favorites.

I do host students for events (Thanksgiving, a hiking trip, things like that), but I extend the invite to the whole class.

Answer 5

I don't think it's a big deal at all as long as the professor offers the invitation to everyone in the class.