How Involved Should Teachers Be in Students' Lives?

Inspired by Josh Radnor's character in Rise, we've been wondering: How involved should teachers be in students' lives?

Should teachers be solely concerned with school work, or do you think school staff should ask about a student's personal life (and offer to help when things aren't going well at home)? Do you think there's a line that shouldn't be crossed when it comes to teacher concern? We asked our members! Here’s one interesting response…

Teachers are involved in many stages of a student’s educational life.

From early kindergarten all the way up to university, teachers are employed to teach us the content of their classes, so that we gain knowledge that will allow us to progress through school and open more doors in life.

However, just because a teacher isn’t paid to be involved in a student’s life, does not mean they shouldn’t be.

Teachers can provide us with a support network and make for an excellent resource when there’s an issue that we can’t talk to our parents about (or an issue we can’t expect our friends to help us with). There exists a balance in a caring teacher that comprises both the authority of a parent and the understanding of a friend. In some cases, teachers see us more than our parents or friends do as well, so they are in a better position to understand what may be happening and what we are going through.

In the case that a teacher notices a student’s grades dropping, or reduced enthusiasm and absence from classes, the teacher has a right to enquire about the student to make sure everything is okay.

Teachers have a duty of care for all their pupils and are typically trained to notice the symptoms of things going wrong. In saying that, don’t expect a teacher to pick up on every little sign, as some teachers see hundreds of students every day and maybe only for an hour in each class.

In my experience, most teachers are empathetic enough to hear us out and help with struggles and general life advice, but at the same time, you don’t want to dump everything on a teacher either. There is a limit as to how much they can help; however, they are typically great at referring other services that can help with specific issues you may present to them.

Ultimately, it is up to the discretion of the teacher about whether they wish to be involved in a student’s life, as well as the level of involvement. But, in saying that, the student also has a choice in declining a teacher’s help too.

If you or anyone you know needs help, support is available now. Call Lifeline on 131 114 or Kids Helpline on 1800 551 800.

Visit ReachOut to get support to help you with everything from everyday issues through to tough times.

Congratulations to Massi for winning this week's writing challenge: How Involved Should Teachers Be in Students' Lives? Massi wins a $50 Westfield gift card for his submission. For your chance to win, check out our latest writing challenges in our Competitions section. Also, be sure to follow this guide on how to win the writing challenge

Photo: Stan