Maintaining Maintaining Appropriate Appropriate Staff/Student Staff/Student BoundariesBoundaries

By Nancy Link

What are your What are your boundaries boundaries

with studentswith students??In the ClassroomIn the ClassroomOn the playgroundOn the playgroundIn the cafeteriaIn the cafeteriaSharing of personal informationSharing of personal informationWhen using the internetWhen using the internet

at school & homeat school & homeComputer games including Computer games including

the internet the internet Calling students on phone, Calling students on phone,

text-messaging, picturestext-messaging, picturesExtra-curricular activitiesExtra-curricular activitiesTransporting studentsTransporting studentsPhysical contact Physical contact

What is your emotional What is your emotional payback for this payback for this

relationship?relationship? Analyze your motivesAnalyze your motives Are they safe for you and the Are they safe for you and the

student?student? Consult a colleagueConsult a colleague Is this in your and Is this in your and

your students’ best your students’ best

interest?interest?

What is inappropriate?What is inappropriate?

Interactions that cross the boundaries Interactions that cross the boundaries that keep students separate from adult that keep students separate from adult

needs &needs &

Creates a relationship that becomes a Creates a relationship that becomes a

peer-to-peer rather than adult-to-childpeer-to-peer rather than adult-to-child

vsvs

ExamplesExamples

Playing video games with students on the internetPlaying video games with students on the internet Conversing with students via electronic media ie. Conversing with students via electronic media ie.

text-messaging, email, phone, blogs, myspace, text-messaging, email, phone, blogs, myspace, facebook, twitter, etc.facebook, twitter, etc.

Shoulder massages, lingering touches, covering Shoulder massages, lingering touches, covering for students who have broken a rulefor students who have broken a rule

Failure to notify administration if suspects student Failure to notify administration if suspects student has romantic feeling toward a staff memberhas romantic feeling toward a staff member

Conversations with students that disclose personal Conversations with students that disclose personal information & confidential information, making the information & confidential information, making the adult the focusadult the focus

are those that create are those that create a a safe safe

environmentenvironment in in

which which students maystudents may grow, grow, learnlearn, ,

seek help solving seek help solving

problems and problems and

conflicts, and conflicts, and developdevelop social skillssocial skills

Appropriate Interactions

ExamplesExamples

Maintains appropriate personal spaceMaintains appropriate personal space Conversations are student focused not adult focusedConversations are student focused not adult focused Staff/student relationship centered on academics, Staff/student relationship centered on academics,

school events and activitiesschool events and activities Referring serious student problems to appropriately Referring serious student problems to appropriately

trained professionalstrained professionals Limits electronic communication with student to only Limits electronic communication with student to only

that which is necessary for educational purposes that which is necessary for educational purposes and/or school-sponsored extracurricular activitiesand/or school-sponsored extracurricular activities

Exercising good judgment on whether to touch a Exercising good judgment on whether to touch a student and under which circumstances – always student and under which circumstances – always sensitive to individual and cultural normssensitive to individual and cultural norms

Hints for staying within Hints for staying within Appropriate Boundaries Appropriate Boundaries

with Studentswith Students1.1. Establish the boundaries & nature of Establish the boundaries & nature of

the relationshipthe relationship2.2. Understand your own emotional needsUnderstand your own emotional needs3.3. Understand propriety issues related to Understand propriety issues related to

helping relationships (power balance)helping relationships (power balance)4.4. Be prepared to develop a specific plan Be prepared to develop a specific plan

with a team approach (never alone)with a team approach (never alone)5.5. Understand the emotional and Understand the emotional and

physical development of studentsphysical development of students

Words of WisdomWords of Wisdom

Staff members should be aware of their own Staff members should be aware of their own emotional needs and those needs might affect the emotional needs and those needs might affect the

staff/student relationshipstaff/student relationship

Professional & personal boundaries become blurred Professional & personal boundaries become blurred when staff members take students to lunch off-when staff members take students to lunch off-

campus, write and receive personal notes or make campus, write and receive personal notes or make physical contactphysical contact

Students who believe no one listens to them often Students who believe no one listens to them often transfer feelings of affection to the staff member. transfer feelings of affection to the staff member.

Refer students to the school counselor or Refer students to the school counselor or administrator.administrator.