“It matters to students that teachers like being in their company. But when teachers appear to like some students more than others, they feel uncomfortable, whether or not they count among the favored.” – “Respect, Liking, Trust, and Fairness”

I think favoritism is something for a teacher to avoid. Like the above quote says, sometimes even though you want the teacher to like you, it can be uncomfortable if they like you more than other students or if they like other students more than you. I have had experience being called the teacher’s pet. And while academically it was good for me, socially it was not. I felt isolated from my peers. What good did it do then that my teacher liked me if my friends hated me for it.

I also noticed this in my focal learner study. A literature teacher had called out names of people who were working on their in-class assignments as he saw fit. He said “Maria’s doing an excellent job. So is Jade…” While for some students this may encourage them to stop talking and do their work so that they get complimented as well, sometimes if the same people are complimented in front of the class like that, it can be damaging to the students. Personally, I knew that that teacher favored my focal student from the get-go. He was always talking to her and he called on her to read once, and it was predictable to me and this was my first day here. If I was a student who always experienced this, I would not appreciate it.

So, it’s important to give our students positive feedback and tell them they are succeeding, perhaps there are better times and places to do so. Like in person, just the two of you not in front of the class. That way they know that you care about their education but they are not singled out or feel neglected.