Sunday, November 27, 2011

Teaching Tip #32

Don't Overshare

There is a time for honesty, and a time to keep your mouth shut.  I had a teacher, sophomore year of high school, who told us about the three men she was dating, but how she liked one of them more.  We (and by we, I mean my classmates - I never paid attention) knew her birthday, the car she drove, the school she went to, etc. 

She was a nice person, but not the greatest teacher.

I do not give out my age to my students.  I am too young, too close to their age, and I don't want to lose that respect. Recognizing my car is fine and knowing my birthday is not a problem.  I also let them know the college I went to, especially because some of them want to go there.

They do know I have a boyfriend, but that is because he's come to events with me.  Before that, I didn't share that information.


In the teacher's lounge even, don't talk about major home problems you may not want students to know, your sex life, your address, what you think about controversial issues (unless it's a part of the school or curriculum), or anything like that.  It's worse these days with the internet - you don't want certain people to know certain things about you.  Think of your students as people with the world at their fingertips.

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