Autheticity

I think it is very important for teachers to be authentic. Students will be able to respect their teacher more if they can tell the teacher is being genuine with them. Teachers should be able to be their true selves in front of the kids and not put on an act. I think if a teacher is in an overly cheery mood all the time and stands in front of the class with a smile plastered on their face the entire day, the kids can tell that the teacher isn't being real with them. If teachers try and act happy all the time it is most likely because they truly aren't happy and kids can see that. By getting involved with what their teaching and truly getting excited ab0ut it, teachers can prove to their students that they are authentic and that they truly enjoy their job. It's okay for students to see teachers in a mood other than happy. If something sad happened in their family, a teacher can explain to students that something bad happened and they aren't in the happiest of moods. By letting a little of their true emotions out, teachers can see more like real people to their students. While it is important for teachers to show students who they truly are and to be authentic with them, there are some limits. For example, it would be acceptable for a teacher to tell their students that they are looking forward to the next week because they are going on vacation with their family. This shows the student that the teacher is a real person who has a life outside of the classroom just like they do. However, it would be inappropriate to share too much of their personal life or to give too much detail. For example, if a teacher is feeling depressed because their sister just went back to rehab for being an alcoholic, it would not be appropriate to share the details with their students. If students ask, it is okay for teachers to share with students things like their religious and political views only when they make sure their students understand that this is an opinion . It is never okay for teachers to try and convince students to believe what they believe. Overall, I think the most important thing is that students can tell that their teacher generally cares about their job and about them. If students get the vibe that the teacher doesn't want to be there, then they won't want to be there either. A teacher who shows authenticity and shows that they like their job will make their students enjoy school more.