A lot has been said about parents who want to be their kid’s best friend, rather than an authoritative figure. Strangely, I see this same pattern happening with some young teachers.
Unlike the older, more experienced faculty members who seem dedicated to the field of education, some younger teachers have indicated that they view teaching as a temporary stop on the way to another line of work. Some appear more comfortable hanging out with students than conversing with colleagues.
Too frequently, resembling overgrown kids in adult clothing, they work overtime to be well-liked. I wonder if they’re teaching high school because they long to return to a time when they were most comfortable. Or was it an uneasy time in their development and they want to do it better this time?
Inexperienced male teachers, with their deep voices and larger physical presence, may have an easier time than young female teachers controlling a classroom of adolescents. But, because they have to struggle less to establish their command, they might not examine as thoroughly what it means to be an authority figure. In their eagerness for acceptance by teenagers, they use questionable language, repeat confidential information that should not be shared with students, and speak disparagingly about the school’s administration.
Just as parents don’t have to act like teenagers to be close to their kids, teachers don’t need to get on a student’s level in order to relate better. We actually respect teachers more when they act like adults.
A friend told me about a male teacher at her school who was bantering with a male student about the new crop of freshmen girls; each of them cited whom they considered “hot.†When students objected to the teacher’s inappropriate behavior, he was clueless as to why the conversation was unprofessional.
In reality, we don’t want to hear teachers’ opinions of who’s hot any more than we want to lend our mothers our clothes. It’s okay for teachers to like the same films, shows, and music as we do. But if they have a crush on Kim Kardashian, we do not want to know.
Students appreciate teachers who are comfortable in their skin, teachers who are dedicated to their profession and show a devotion to their students. Quite frankly, we prefer teachers who are concerned with completing their lesson plan instead of what students think of them.
I know I’m not the only one who wants teachers I can look up to — and not just because I’m short.
