Teacher debate: Friendliness vs. Friendship in the classroom

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Friendliness vs. Friendship in the classroom. What a topic!
Has it ever happened to you that one of your students or even group of students confuse these terms and expects from you attitudes or behaviours that make you feel uncomfortable?

Let´s start by getting some definitions: 

Friendliness: Warm; comforting.
Friendship: The quality or condition of being friends.

 Evidently there is a big difference between both words. And even if it hasn´t happend to us, it is clear it is very difficult to be your student’s friend and maintain your teacher’s role. 

 Dr. Stacia Levy, teaches writing and reading skills at the University of the Pacific in Stockton, California to both native and nonnative speakers of English. She analyses and comes up with some interesting ideas regarding this topic. 

 You Are NOT Your Students’ BFF (Best Friend Forever): Balancing “Friendliness” and “Friendship”

What do you think of the author´s Method to Maintain a Friendly attitude?

 Another controversial topic related is Facebook, should we befriend our students?

We will have a debate on the topic, some of you will be putting forward a positive view to the topic and others against. Prepare the ideas and arguments you´ll bring. 

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