Hi Mona: The last part of your post is interesting. I think your relatioship with your students is and will always be that of their instructor (as long as they are students enrolled in school). So, whether you are in the role of teacher, mentor, counselor, or club advisor, that core relaionship has not changed. That's the basis by which you know them and interact with them. Now, I'm not speaking of personality, as we all can and should do our best to remain approachable and assistive to all studnts in their quest for learning. Sometimes, I'll use the expression, "we can be friendly without being friends". Our delivery of course content is that of subject matter expert, and therefore, we must always exercise a sutle underlying presence of control and authority. But students will respect teachers who are honest, helpful, and demonstrate genuine care and encouragement. So, planning off campus field trips can be a bit tricky, that's why the need for authority and control. Regards, Barry