Response #5 (to Tyler's #6)-Joel

1. RE: How do we draw the line between friend and leader? Is there a line? Should there be line? There definitely needs to be some type of line but it is definitely a balance and a difficult one at that. On the one hand, if you are too much of a friend you have no respect and no authority to teach or lead. On the other hand, if you are too much of a leader you might have the respect you want in the sense that they "listen" or at least don't talk while you teach, but the impact of your teaching is going to be far less deep if they don't consider themselves close to you on some level - even if that's just a level established simply because of something simple you said that related to them.

2. RE: How do we get the students to respect us as a leader, and yet love us as a friend? It's really a balance to continually maintain. There are times to act strictly as a leader and other times to act as a friend. For example, you hanging out and joking around with this kid before class was a great act of friendship and a HUGE bridge-builder for your teaching credibility with him! However, talking and joking during another teacher's lesson might have made you a better friend with them but probably hurt you a bit on the leadership side. You can certainly gain this back by just being more attentive the next time and setting that example, but being a leader as opposed to being a friend rests largely on the circumstance. If you judge the circumstances right you will establish a great balance and your students will begin to feel close to you as well as continuing to respect you.