Authenticity

When I think about dispositions that are important for an educator, authenticity is not the first one that comes to mind.  Nevertheless, it is important to education.  I cannot stand a teacher who attempts to win his or her students over and become best friends with them.  There are times when it is appropriate for a teacher to share a story or piece of information about his or her personal life, but when things become too personal, it becomes difficult to gain the respect of students.  My personal experiences have shown me that a teacher who becomes too friendly with his or her students loses some of the respect that is required in the classroom.  When a student misbehaves or does poorly, it can seem more like a personal attack.  On the other hand, it is important for a teacher to attempt to relate to his or her students.  I see many similarities between the level of authenticity that is appropriate for the classroom and the types of families. Many families operate under each category, and each person has an opinion of how strict parents should be with their children.  I was raised in an authoritative family, and, like the authoritative family's level of strictness, I believe that there is a fine line between too much or too little authenticity in the classroom.  It is important, I believe, to relate to the students without becoming too friendly or concealing too much personal information.  I will strive to stay between those lines when I begin teaching.