One of my more frustrating students, frustrating in a I-think-I'm-funnier-than-I-am-and-I-love-to-get-a-rise-out-of-you-even-though-most-everyone-finds-me-annoying-too, grabbed my phone while my back was turned during class and took my phone number, then called me. I didn't pick up because I didn't know the number. Then he texted me.
I tried to be as diplomatic as possible in telling him it was a bad idea, especially since he had to go behind my back while I was teaching to do it instead of paying attention in class. I told him I would forget it if he deleted the number and used the same contact information as his classmates.
Aghhh!
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Oh, it gets worse.
ReplyDeleteHe said he would "stop texting for the day, but would not delete my number" and that he didn't understand why it was inappropriate.
Of course, I'm furious.
So, I type up this e-mail that goes like this:
"Students,
I sincerely hope you enjoy your time in my class, and that you learn something while you're there.
However, I need to remind you all:
I am your teacher, you are my student. I provide you with knowledge and information and kind help
when you need it.
What I am not, is your "buddy." What I mean by that is, we must maintain that
professional relationship in which you attend class and attempt to learn, and I attempt to teach you
and help you when you need it. We do not share an interpersonal relationship outside the classroom.
I have provided you all with more than one avenue for contacting me. Avenues not available to you
are my private phone numbers and e-mails. Please respect my privacy and do not go through my
personal effects and help yourself to my private information. Doing so is inappropriate and warrants
disciplinary action which I do not want to pursue.
Please consider you would not appreciate someone going through your things and invading your
privacy without you offering your information or permission.
I have enjoyed my time with you all, and would like to continue to do so. In order to, we must
respect one another's personal boundaries.
If you would like to continue to contact me after I'm gone, I would love to hear how your studies
continue. You may ask me for more information at the end of the semester, and I will provide you
with information which I feel comfortable distributing. Otherwise, please maintain the boundary.
Thank you for reading this, as well as for your hard work and enthusiasm during the semester,
Miss Dunbar"
I sent it to all my classes, including his. Hopefully he'll read it, get the HUGE hint, and do what he's told. If he still refuses, I'll contact Zena and ask her how to handle it. Also, it makes him culpable to the students who might have seen him pick up and mess with my phone during class. Then they can look at him and say "you dumbass," and then maybe he'll understand why what he did was wrong.