Authenticity in the Classroom

Authenticity - It is "the quality or condition of being authentic, trustworthy, or genuine" according to Answers.com.  Authenticity in the classroom is an issue that has to be handled with great care and consideration.  Teachers need to know the limits of authenticity are, when it is appropriate to be used, and when it should be avoided.  As a teacher, one needs to know not only their limits for authenticity, but their students, as well.  The amount of authenticity shown in a classroom can enhance or diminish students learning experience.
   In the classroom, a lack of authenticity can be very apparent, especially if the teacher is attempting to fake their way through a class.  In high school, I had a new biology teacher who was not a very good teacher.  To cover over this handicap, she kept her classroom in a state on chaos and dishevelment which made it impossible to learn anything.  The majority of class time was spent mindlessly filling printed notes from PowerPoint presentations and coloring in pictures of cells and plants.  This teacher's attempts to keep the students busy and hide her inability to teach the class' material was very transparent to the students.  As a result, I cannot remember learning anything of substance in that class and just spend mindless days filling in blanks on worksheets and coloring in pictures.  For this teacher, the lack of authenticity expressed to the students was taken advantage of and the entire class suffered.
   On the other hand, one of my Theology teachers in college would not tell us his religious beliefs until the end of the class.  The class was all about the Reformation and a large portion of the class was devoted to class discussion.  Instead of putting in his two cents on every discussion topic, he let his students debate and discuss the topics for the class.  By withholding his personal views he allowed for more openness among students during their conversations and avoided silencing some students for fear of earning the professor's disapproval.  Another situation that this would apply to is a United States History of Political Science course.  Teachers in these subjects should make should to check their personal opinions at the door.  Their job is not to tell students what they think, but rather give students the tools and resources to make up their own minds.  There is a place to share personal beliefs and opinions about topics like this, but the classroom is not one of them.  Teachers need to do all in their power not to discourage one single student from learning what they need to succeed and form their own ideas and opinions that with shape their lives.
   If a teachers seems fake of unauthentic towards students, the students, especially the younger or middle aged students, will take advantage of their teachers suspected weakness and use it to their advantage for disruption and chaos.  In addition to this, a lack of authenticity can destroy any sense of trust that might exist between teachers and their students.  Without this sense of trust, students may be less motivated to learn, ask questions, or even trust what their teachers are teaching them.  To achieve an appropriate level of authenticity in the classroom, teachers should know what is appropriate to share in the classroom and what is not, always remembering to engage their students in their learning, not doing anything to distract of hamper that all important part of education.