Professions and Behavioral Standards

[Mutatis-Mutandis]

The other day, while teaching my English 101 class (all freshmen), I said, referring to an author's authority in an essay, "What the hell does he know?" I afterward heard several gasps and snickers of disbelief. I found this quite humorous myself, especially since I know several colleagues who aren't shy about throwing around ****s and ****s as they please.

I find it funny that people in some professions (well, really, any profession) are expected to uphold certain behavioral standards. The physical labor worker--rude and crude; the office worker--the normal Everyman; the scientist--straight-laced and nerdy; the teacher--proper and demure. Many find it surprising when people break these assumptions outside or in the work place, sometimes even becoming fiction tropes (the worldly, wise, and cultured janitor comes to mind). I find the surprise amusing.

When it comes to myself, I've found that me being a teacher makes people surprised by how I act out of class--cursing, political incorrectness, etc. Most people don't expect it--they either are surprised by my actions having known I'm a teacher beforehand, or knowing me and then finding out I'm a teacher. I've also found that authority figures, whoever they may be, hold me to a different, higher, behavioral standard than other people (and I mean outside of the classroom) which is just downright odd.

I'm curious if anyone else has experienced this sort of thing--other thinking your behavior just doesn't match your profession.

[Delta40]

I think there is a difference between a persons expectation or perception of a teacher and the standard which the profession should uphold.

I'm a public servant and I know there is a perception of what we look like despite the diversity among us.

However, the codes of conduct and values which we demonstrate when dealing with the public are the standard that remains consistent and is probably what stereotypes us.

As a teacher, I would ask how you might have your 'cool' without compromising the standard of teaching

[Charles Darnay]

I think Dead Poets Society both built and destroyed the image of "I"m not like other teachers, I'm honest, I'll won't bull**** you, I'll teach you things that matter &c." The fact that college students (am a wrong that they're college students) are miffed by something like swearing points to the fact that they are living a sheltered life.

As for me, I stick to a code of conduct for the most part. I don't believe in being friends with my students, but being respectful. I do swear sometimes, but it is admittedly calculated. Students are drifting off, nothing like a good f-bomb to snap their attention back (at least for a few minutes).

[Lokasenna]

I make a lot of jokes when I teach, which the students seem to appreciate. I make a point of not taking my own subject too seriously - I always think the worst teachers, especially at university level, are those who come across as stuffy and self-important.

[YesNo]

Professionals who do not behave appropriately put themselves at risk. Although many of the people working with you may be friendly, you only need a few enemies to make your life interesting in ways you may not like.

[Alexander III]

Based on my experiance I have only one lecturer who swears. But he never does it in lectures, only in seminars when we are casually talking.

Though most of my lecturers don't swear, they fill their lectures with strange sexual innuendoes and jokes which no one finds funny. There are plenty of lecturers who focus more on appearing likable and "hip" than on the actual subject. As a student it is hard to respect these types and people tend to say the worst things about them.

One the other hand I have this one lecturer who doesn't joke and doesn't care if we like him or not, or if he appears not "hip", but he gives a damn fine lecture which has everyone listening because he knows his ****. This is the type of lecturer which always has his lecture hall-filled and has the respect of the students.

As a student I don't want a lecturer like me, I don't give a damn about his personality, I just want a a lecturer I can respect because they spend their lectures giving good and stimulating lectures.

[Mutatis-Mutandis]

It sucks so much of your class time is taken up by lecturing, Alex.

[Shevek]

I make a lot of jokes when I teach, which the students seem to appreciate. I make a point of not taking my own subject too seriously - I always think the worst teachers, especially at university level, are those who come across as stuffy and self-important.

I've found a lot of the professors I've had who make jokes are also self-important and sometimes just plain arrogant. They also happen to be the best ones I've had, though. The worst are the ones who are passionless about the material -- not necessarily boring, but give off the impression that they are merely teaching this course as a part-time job and don't truly want to be there.

[Alexander III]

It sucks so much of your class time is taken up by lecturing, Alex.

[Mutatis-Mutandis]

Is that a pic as in "Yeah, it does suck!" or a "You're a moron, Mutatis" pic, because I'm sure it could go either way.

[stlukesguild]

It could be a dual-purpose visual: "Yeah, all those lectures suck... but you're still a moron, Mutatis."

[Mutatis-Mutandis]

That seems most likely.

[stlukesguild]

The other day, while teaching my English 101 class (all freshmen), I said, referring to an author's authority in an essay, "What the hell does he know?" I afterward heard several gasps and snickers of disbelief. I found this quite humorous myself, especially since I know several colleagues who aren't shy about throwing around ****s and ****s as they please.

My situation is different in that I teach at the grade-school level... which means I teach children and not adults... and I work in one of the most highly politicized careers today. For years, public school teachers were predominantly women (and I am speaking specifically of public education in America). Teaching was one of the few careers open to an intelligent, educated women... and they were paid and treated accordingly... in other words, like crap. The stereotype remains. Many assume that the job of the public school teacher is easy... even fun. After all... they're just children. What many don't grasp is that teaching Kindergarten is in no way easier than teaching High-School... or college. Obviously the college professor or high-school teacher must have a greater grasp of his or her subject matter (whether it be Math or English or Art)... but there is also the knowledge of a child's developmental stage and how they learn which you will understand if you have you ever tried to keep a 5-year old focused for more than 15 minutes... let alone teach him or her something.

But to continue... Public Education in the US was grossly undervalued for years. And as a result the administrators and other powers that be could rather arbitrarily treat teachers however they wished for a long time. As recently as as the mid-1980s a female teacher who became pregnant... by her husband... could be fired because it sent the "wrong" message to children (In other words, the little darlings might figure out that... gasp!! "Their teacher has sex!!!").

While the various teacher's unions improved this situation (which is one reason why they have become the number one target of Neo-Cons) there is still this unrealistic expectation of decorum that goes beyond reasonable professional expectations...

It's well understood, for example, that as a professional I am not to swear in the classroom or insult the students... no matter what anatomically impossible thing they tell me to do with myself. Of course in the teacher's lounge, many of us swear like drunken sailors and share every little embarrassing anecdote concerning the precious darlings.

But there have been an increasing number of incidents... rather recently... of a teacher being fired for the most absurd interpretations of what amounts to "unprofessional behavior": An art teacher in Texas was fired for contributing to the delinquency of a minor because she had the gall to take the students (with parental and administrative permission) to the local art museum where they saw some nude sculpture!! Another young teacher was dismissed for posting a photograph of herself holding a glass of Guinness while on summer vacation in Ireland. Yet another teacher, in Florida, was fired for posting a picture of herself in a bikini on a boat while on her summer vacation. Unfortunately there are still those who feel that a teacher should maintain a rather outdated concept of professional decorum not only while working... but even in their private lives... and the ideal is old frumpy turn of the century (that would be turn of the 19th/20th century) schoolmarm who dresses like this:



never swears, never drinks, never argues with her "superiors", never has fun... and certainly never has sex.

Unfortunately... that's not reality. Contrary to the fantasies... and/or desires of some, we no longer live in the 19th century. Having taught in the inner-city for 15 years I have known some of the best teachers... and some of the most outrageous characters. They need to be this way simply to survive. Our school's Christmas party two years ago was so wild that we were banned from ever coming back... to a place called "Hoggies". On a separate occasion, one particularly outrageous teacher almost got into bar fight with a regular in a neighborhood dive... over politics!

I don't find it odd that people are expected to uphold a given professional behavior while on the job... I do find it unrealistic to expect that these same individuals to fit within someone else' narrow behavioral ideals outside of the workplace... and I find it highly disconcerting that employers increasingly feel they have the right to monitor and control employee behavior outside of the workplace... and that employees are increasingly willing to surrender their rights to privacy and to their personal lives.

Of course I realize that we hold certain professions to a higher standard on some issues. Teachers, police-officers, doctors, lawyers, airline pilots, etc... can loose their license and jobs if convicted of drunk driving, drug use, fraud, and any number of other offenses that have far less ramifications for non-professionals. We don't want pilots who don't show the common sense to avoid operating a vehicle while inebriated nor a lawyer or law enforcement officer who engages in breaking the law.

On the other hand... considering the pay and other perks "earned" by the same politicians who legislate these behavioral standards for professionals... shouldn't we expect them to live up to the same standard? And yet... if anything... it seems they are free to flaunt every concept of decorum and professional behavior... on and off the job.

[Mutatis-Mutandis]

Very well said, stlukes.

[JuniperWoolf]

Jackie Chan meme.

Most universities seperate courses into lectures and seminars, and a lab if it's a science course. I think the meme has been used in this instance because you kind of just said "it sucks that your lecturer spends so much of your lecture time lecturing."