As much as we seek rapport with our students–rooted in empathy and mutual human understanding–we must also acknowledge the limits. We are different from our students, if only by virtue of our authority in the classroom.

For this blog post, I want you to examine the role “difference” plays in your teaching. What makes you different from your students (either individually or collectively)? To what extent are these differences within your control? To what extent are they valuable or damaging?