Comfort in the classroom

When junior Fatima Doumbouya feels stressed, she knows what to do. Instead of talking to her family, visiting the guidance office or turning to friends, she goes to the person she feels knows her best: her teacher. Doumbouya considers this teacher to be one of her closest friends and she feels completely comfortable telling her teacher about her personal life and problems.

While not many students share such a close relationship with their teachers, many Blazers find that when they are seeking advice, teachers are the most accessible and easiest to talk to. As social studies teacher Lansing Freeman explains, "Students see teachers every day, so they're comfortable with us." And in a school as large as Blair, where counselors are often difficult to get access to, 62 percent of Blazers said they would feel more comfortable talking about personal issues with a teacher than with a counselor, according to an informal Silver Chips survey of 100 students on Jan. 3. However, teachers, as well as the students who confide in them, need to be aware of the appropriateness of their relationships, according to guidance counselor Charlain Bailey.

Teacher knows best

Though Doumbouya just met her teacher this year, she felt an instant connection and now the two regularly meet. "I know some people say, 'Ooh, you're not supposed to have a relationship with your teacher,' but I don't care, because when I need her she's there for me," Doumbouya says.

Since teachers see their students every day, they can often tell when a student is unhappy, says social studies teacher Jake Lee. When he sees a student who is "clearly upset," he asks them if they are okay, showing them that he is concerned.

Freshman Matena Kamara, who speaks with Lee at least once a week about anything from "school to boyfriend problems," appreciates this concern. "I know he cares about me, so I want to do his work, and I want to pass his class."

Senior Jennifer Charles recalls a time when she was crying, and her English teacher asked her what was bothering her. Once her teacher had made the first move, Charles was surprised at the ease with which she was able to talk with him. "I just opened up, and it ended up making me feel much better," she says.

Many teachers recognize the benefits of open communication with students, such as increased motivation and improved academic performance. With the help of ESOL counselor Fernando Moreno, ESOL teacher Brenna Matthews started a journaling program for her students where she asks students personal questions that they respond to in a journal. This helped Matthews learn more about her students' backgrounds and understand the experiences they have had. So far the program has been successful. "Everyone who goes through the journaling process, their grades have improved," she says.

Senior Sergio Osorio, one of Matthews's students, likes using the journal because it is a way for his teacher to indirectly help with his personal matters.

With an average student-to-counselor ratio of 300 to one, it can be difficult for Blair students to get to know their guidance counselor personally. Kamara feels that teachers are easier to talk to and more readily available than counselors. "Counselors you can hardly find half the time, plus you have to make an appointment, but your teacher is right in your class," she says.

Students are asked to make appointments with their counselors and, according to Director of Counseling Services Karen Hunt, these requests are usually responded to within a day or two. During more hectic times of the year, like the beginning of semesters when counselors are busy working out scheduling problems, it can take longer for the counselor to respond, says Hunt, but serious topics are always quickly addressed, no matter the time of year.

Bailey recognizes that students are sometimes hesitant to go to their counselor. "It's usually easier to talk to a teacher, because to see [a counselor] students have to do something outside of their schedule."

Respecting boundaries

While confiding in teachers may help students in the short-term, teachers are not trained to handle the serious problems students may have in the way that guidance counselors are. Some teachers, like Freeman, alert a counselor with the student's permission for advice on how to handle situations correctly. "I always check with a counselor to make sure I am doing the right thing. Frequently I don't have answers, but I am able to direct students to the right resources," Freeman says.

While Doumbouya meets with her teacher outside of school, Freeman feels that "it is important for both teachers and students to respect the boundaries of professionalism."

Bailey cautions that student-teacher relationships can place teachers in an awkward position, when they are having a relationship "outside of what it is supposed to be. You have to be careful that [the relationship] is not misinterpreted."

Speaking from first-hand experience, Freeman recounts a time that a student took their relationship too far. "Last year, I had a student whom I was counseling appear on my doorstep," he says. "I reminded the student of the boundaries of our teacher-student relationship and sent them on their way."

"Part of something good"

Prince George's County Public Schools Pupil Personnel Worker Ethel Levine, who counsels troubled, at-risk students, believes that the most important thing is that the student speaks to someone if they are having troubles, whether that is a counselor or a teacher. "As long as students are talking to someone and getting their problems addressed, it shouldn't matter who they are talking to," she stresses.

According to Maryland law, teachers are required to report students who are a danger to themselves or others to Child Protective Services, says Levine.

Blair teachers agree that helping students is everyone's number one priority. Matthews explains that she wants her kids' successes to extend beyond the classroom, which is why she tries to connect with her students on a personal level.

As Freeman explains, "Teachers dedicate themselves to helping young people achieve their dreams. I want to do whatever I can to be a part of that. And when you see a kid who had been struggling start to straighten up, it makes you feel like you're part of something good in the world."