Which one is it?

The term is restarting after the spring break, and I find myself pondering what kind of a teacher I am, and whether I need to change or not.

I look at my marking book and see that two students have not handed in the assignment that was due before the beginning of the break. I sent both emails telling them I haven't received them, but still haven't heard back. One student has been struggling, and the week before the break, we worked out a schedule that would get him caught up. He agreed to it, but hasn't done it. The other one, who knows?

The question that is running around my head is how involved in all this should I be? Part of me says to leave it - they're adults - I'm not their mother, I'm their teacher etc. But another part of me hears what other people are saying, about caring about their students as people, they're not just numbers etc. and I wonder whether I should be more involved.

These are upperclassmen - not freshmen - so my inclination is to teach, not to nurture. If they've made it this far, they should be able to get their act together. The freshmen - yes, I treat a bit differently, especially in the fall term, because they're still adjusting to the change from high school to university. That I understand, and the adjustment is rough even if you're not 18.

My natural inclination with university students is to say, "You're adults. Start acting like one", spell out my expectations, be helpful when they come to me for help, provide a high quality classroom experience, and let them take responsibility for whether they pass or fail.

I also don't tell my students much about myself - I tell them in the first class that I'm a TA and a student like them, but after that, I'm their teacher, and that's all I am.

Part of this philosophy probably stems from my own experience as an undergrad. I would NEVER have thought of talking to a prof about a personal problem, and I NEVER asked for an extension on an assignment (I saved doing that for the first time in my doctoral program!). I figured that since I got a syllabus at the beginning of the term, there was plenty of time to plan out my time and no excuse for not being ready for a deadline. And my professors never expressed the slightest interest in knowing about my personal life. They didn't tell me about theirs and I didn't tell them about mine. Seemed right to me that that was just the way it worked.

But I was also 28 with three kids at home when I entered university, so I was used to having to take responsibility for my own life. It feels natural to me to respect my students as adults by leaving them to organize their own lives and just concentrate on sharing what I know the most about - the subject matter of the course - but I wonder whether this is enough. Mostly, I wonder if there are expectations out there in academia that I be more for my students than an expert in my field.

On an interesting side note, the results of this modified Meyers-Briggs scale don't seem to jive with my teaching philosophy... which of course makes me wonder why.

Your #1 Match: ISFJ

The Nurturer You have a strong need to belong, and you very loyal. A good listener, you excell at helping others in practical ways. In your spare time, you enjoy engaging your senses through art, cooking, and music. You find it easy to be devoted to one person, who you do special things for. You would make a good interior designer, chef, or child psychologist.

Your #2 Match: ESFJ

The Caregiver You are sympathetic and caring, putting friends and family first. A creature of habit, you prefer routines and have trouble with change. You love being in groups - whether you're helping people or working on a project. You are good at listening, laughing, and bringing out the best in people. You would make a great nurse, social worker, or teacher.