Unit 7: Professional Boundaries and Teacher–Student Relationships
Conditions d’achèvement
Unit 7 explores the ethical dimensions of teacher–student relationships, emphasizing the importance of maintaining appropriate professional boundaries in both face-to-face and digital contexts. It examines the role of care in education, while addressing the risks of overstepping ethical lines through social media, informal communication, or dual relationships. The unit also considers how cultural norms influence expectations and interactions between teachers and students. Through reflective discussion and practical examples, students will learn to build respectful, ethically sound relationships that support learning while protecting professional integrity.
2. Understanding Professional Boundaries
Professional
boundaries are ethical frameworks that prevent conflicts of interest, emotional
entanglement, or inappropriate influence. Key features include: ·
Avoiding favoritism or
discrimination. ·
Ensuring fairness and equity in treatment. ·
Maintaining professional distance to preserve
objectivity. ·
Avoiding over-familiar behavior, especially
outside academic contexts. Boundaries are essential for: ·
Maintaining student trust. ·
Promoting a safe learning space. ·
Upholding institutional and ethical standards.
