Building a Classroom of Respect

                                                        

R-e-s-p-e-c-t is not just a part in Aretha Franklin's 60’s song; it is a word that means something different to each person.  With a large classroom it is crucial that you make your classroom an environment where respect is shown and valued. Respect should not only be shown by students but also by the teacher. If you want your students to be respectful, you must model respect. If you yell constantly and disrespect your students you are showing them that this type of behavior is allowed in your classroom.  Here are a few to do things in your classrooms…

Try to state only positive things about your students as well as your co-workers. Creating a respectful classroom environment is impossible when slander is present.

Try to make all your students feel that they are a valuable part of the class. Never make a student feel that they are less or unimportant. Giving everyone a role in the classroom gives them value and helps to build a community in the classroom.

Try to be consistent with your rules; everyone should follow the same rules.

Say please and thank you to your students, by doing this you are modeling for them the type of behavior that is expected in the classroom.

You should have easy to remember classroom rules. Try to keep each rule to no more than five words, and there should be no more than five rules! More than five rules will cause confusion and may overwhelm the students.

These simple tips will help to set you students on the course to build a classroom based on respect.