text: It's not your job to change people. It is your job to teach and guide them. As  a teacher you should be open to having your students come and talk to you if they choose so. Sometimes a child feels they don't have anyone to go to and as a teacher you should be able to guide them in the right direction even if it be another person to help them. A child spend alomost as much time if not more at school then at home. The parents have no choice but to trust that you are going to put some heart into your job as well as the books. So no I don't think that extra patience is enough to be honest. It is not your job to give out dating advice nor is it your business to be getting involved in such a private aspect of the childs life unless it is extreme and the parents need to be told. Most teens want to date, and they are not mature enough to be looking for "the one" but it is part of growing up. You get paid to teach yes but you also get paid to listen to your students and helo them when they are in need. Knowing that i have to put my son into school in a few years scares me, simply because anymore teachers don't care. They simply want to go in open the books and go home. Children need to be guided through the years and if you work in a postion where you are going to be a huge part of that childs daily life then you are just as responible for some of the outcome. If a child is being abused it is your job to say something about it or contact the proper authorities, but it is not your job to get involved in private aspects of thier lifes otherwise unless they show you that it is ok for you to do so. Some people are open and some are more private. I had a few great teachers growing up that made a huge difference in my life and it didn't come from what they taught in class in came from the heart.