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    Insight PP Boundaries 3

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    This document discusses the importance of maintaining professional boundaries when working with students. It provides examples of boundary lines like distinguishing between personal and professional relationships with students. Crossing these boundaries can jeopardize one's effectiveness and open them up to accusations. The benefits of maintaining clear boundaries include preserving one's ability to help students and modeling healthy relationships. Specific examples of boundary violations and protective strategies are also outlined.

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    Insight PP Boundaries 3

    Uploaded by

    733
    29 views5 pages
    This document discusses the importance of maintaining professional boundaries when working with students. It provides examples of boundary lines like distinguishing between personal and professional relationships with students. Crossing these boundaries can jeopardize one's effectiveness and open them up to accusations. The benefits of maintaining clear boundaries include preserving one's ability to help students and modeling healthy relationships. Specific examples of boundary violations and protective strategies are also outlined.

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    Insight PP Boundaries 3

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    This document discusses the importance of maintaining professional boundaries when working with students. It provides examples of boundary lines like distinguishing between personal and professional relationships with students. Crossing these boundaries can jeopardize one's effectiveness and open them up to accusations. The benefits of maintaining clear boundaries include preserving one's ability to help students and modeling healthy relationships. Specific examples of boundary violations and protective strategies are also outlined.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    29 views5 pages

    Insight PP Boundaries 3

    Uploaded by

    733
    This document discusses the importance of maintaining professional boundaries when working with students. It provides examples of boundary lines like distinguishing between personal and professional relationships with students. Crossing these boundaries can jeopardize one's effectiveness and open them up to accusations. The benefits of maintaining clear boundaries include preserving one's ability to help students and modeling healthy relationships. Specific examples of boundary violations and protective strategies are also outlined.

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    PERSONAL & PROFESSIONAL BOUNDARIES

    Boundaries are lines we stay within as professionals. When we cross them, we


    jeopardize our effectiveness in helping students.

    Important Boundary Lines Benefits of Good Boundaries


    • Staff-Student Boundary – Differentiating • Preserves your ability to work with students by
    yourself as a staff member establishing a clear student-teacher relationship
    • Work-Home Boundary – Keeping work at work with a focus on learning.
    and home at home. This includes maintaining • Protects you from accusations of impropriety or
    appropriate self-disclosure favoritism
    • Personal Distance – Maintaining healthy • Models healthy student-teacher
    personal distance and contact. relationships
    • Advice Giving – Only giving advice you are for students.
    qualified to give and/or is within your role. • Preserves your privacy by keeping the
    • Secret Keeping – Never agreeing to keep focus on school and school events, not on
    information secret from other staff your life outside of school.
    or parents.

    Educators gain ...when they


    more respect and are understand boundaries
    more effective in and stay within their
    helping students... professional role
    5 examples of Staff-Student 5 examples of Work-Home
    Boundary Violations Boundary Violations
    • Attempting to “fit in” by dressing or acting like • Talking about a student with friends or in a
    the students you work with public place such as a restaurant or store where
    • Anything that could be construed as flirting, you might be overheard
    playing favorites, or in some way giving preferential • Interacting with students outside of school in
    treatment to certain students over others person, on the phone or through social media,
    • Seeking emotional support from a student: you especially for personal conversations
    shouldn’t put them in a position where they have • Giving away too much information about your
    to help you personal life that may color students’ perception
    • Having personal telephone, text or email of you, such as your political beliefs or past
    conversations with students that are not school indiscretions
    related • Giving students rides in your car
    • Telling inappropriate jokes, rough housing, or • Inviting students or parents of students to your
    gossiping about others. home.

    ARE SIGN POSTS


    YOU SHOULD PAY
    ATTENTION TO
    MYTH BUSTER
    What happens at school stays at school Dressing, acting and talking like students
    DOES NOT help you establish better
    What happens at home stays at home
    relationships or gain students’ respect.
    “TWO RULES ABOUT DISCLOSING INFORMATION

    2
    THAT HELP YOU KEEP GOOD BOUNDARIES”
    • The Headline Rule – Are you okay with whatever you say
    to a student being on the headline of tomorrow’s paper?
    Can it be changed in ways that are unfavorable to you?
    • The Helpful Rule – Is the information you reveal helpful

    RULES to the student? Can the information be harmful? Could it


    disrupt your relationship with students, causing them to
    judge, dislike, or distrust you?

    SUPPOSE YOU TELL STUDENTS THIS GETS TURNED INTO…


    “I think the principal doesn’t listen to I don’t have to listen to the principal
    students.” because he’s a jerk.
    “I am an adult so I have a beer every now Mr. Jones admits to being a drinker
    and then.”
    “I have suffered from depression in the Mr. Jones can’t understand me, he’s too
    past.” depressed.

    3 examples of Personal distance 3 examples of Advice -


    Boundary violations Giving Boundary violations
    • Standing or sitting too close to a student • Playing therapist to a student who confides in
    • Giving hugs, backrubs or pats you by giving advice on personal or family matters
    • Any prolonged or lingering touch that is not • Giving advice that is outside of your professional
    necessary to assist the student. role, such as legal, medical or dietary advice
    • Giving religious or political advice / opinions.
    3 EXAMPLES OF INAPPROPRIATE
    SECRET-KEEPING
    • “I won’t tell your teacher you forgot to do the
    assignment.”
    • “Nobody needs to know you are having
    trouble at home.”
    • “Tell me what’s bothering you. I promise I
    won’t tell anyone.”

    PROTECTIVE STRATEGIES
    Here are some ways you can protect yourself from other people’s boundary problems

    Documentation - When something happens that


    makes you feel uncomfortable, such as a student
    tries to cross one of your boundaries, document it
    and tell colleagues about it so you have a record.

    Prepare Responses - Prepare responses for when


    students attempt to cross one of your boundaries.
    Below are some examples.

    Double Coverage - When working with a student


    that may attempt to violate boundaries (especially
    physical or sexual boundaries) make sure you are
    not alone with that student.
    STUDENT SAYS APPROPRIATE RESPONSE
    1. Have you ever smoked pot? 1. Why do you ask? I’m not sure what that has
    to do with your math assignment?
    2. Can you come to my birthday this weekend? 2. It’s your birthday? Happy birthday! I’m sorry
    I can’t come, but have a great party.
    3. Can you give me a ride home? 3. I can’t, but I can call your parent and they
    can help you.
    4. Do you think I’m pretty? Sexy? Handsome? 4. I don’t really think about students in those
    terms.
    5. You’re my friend right? 5. Well, I’m actually your (teacher/support
    person etc.) and that is a bit of a different role
    than a friend…
    6. Please don’t tell my parents I got this grade. 6. I don’t agree to keep any secrets, especially
    from parents.

    Think of a boundary that students often try to

    GO DO IT cross with you. Plan ahead what you will say to


    draw the boundary line next time it happens.
    Activity Rehearse it with a trusted colleague.

    w w w. 321insight.com

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