About Matthew Hiebert Expertise education, study strategies, pedagogy, sustainable education, hidden curriculum,
classroom
management, science, math, learning materials
Experience Extensive experience teaching at the elementary/jr. secondary level, including experience at prestigious international schools; recent work has been as pedagogy specialist and education project coordinator for teacher training projects in east and southeast Asia, and in Latin America
Question If a student has told their teacher that they love them, is there any action that the teacher is obliged to take? I am sure teachers are briefed about this when they train, is there any link that will tell me what they are told to do in such situations? Thank you!
Answer I'm happy to share some thoughts, but I can't give any legal advice. Any legalities would be different in different places.
When I was studying to become a teacher, lots of attention was given to teacher-student relationships, the "pedagogical relationship". It's a relationship that can be very close, but it is different from other relationships. It can be friendly, but it's not friendship. It can resemble parenting at times too, but it's different from a parenting relationship.
It's fairly common for secondary students especially to develop crushes on young teachers, and it's up to the teacher to maintain a professional distance.
When I'm training teachers I recommend that they try to keep a cordial distance, to let students know that they care, but that they are not "friends" per se, nor are they parents or nurses or counsellors... although sometimes the teacher's role seems similar to each of these. As a teacher, I would sometimes talk to students about the nature of this relationship as well. I wanted them to know that I cared about them, but also to make it clear that my role as a teacher was different from the roles of other adults in their lives. I taught mostly at the primary level.
If you're looking for more specific information, I recommend that you make a call to your local education board or teachers' union. Most teachers' unions will have a desk specifically there to provide advice to teachers on their obligations. If you're not a teacher, I imagine they would still be willing to help.
