Don't confuse respect with popularity.
The latter is a shiny penny kind of thing -- it's nice, but
by itself it isn't worth much. Respect is earned over time,
seldom acknowledged, and not very flashy, but it's the essential
underpinning of your relationship with students. Since I
believe first and foremost that respect is a two-way street,
I decided that I might get pretty good insights on the subject
from some of the kids in my own sixth and seventh grade classes.
Their advice was so sound, I have not been able to improve
upon it. Here, in their exact words -- with the spelling
corrected -- is what they said makes them respect a teacher:
I respect
a teacher who gives us two chances at things.
Treat
everyone equally.
Don't favor one student.
Be fair. Be generous.
Be sensitive. Be
on schedule. And
never say one thing
and do another.
Teachers
I
respect
are
knowledgeable
about
the
topics
they
are
teaching.
They
lay
down
the
rules
from
the
beginning
and
don't
alter
them.
A
teacher
should
never
show
that
he
favors
one
student,
even
if
he secretly
does.
I
respect
a
teacher
who
listens
to
your
ideas,
who
listens
to
you...a
teacher
who
makes
learning
fun
and
interesting...a teacher
who
has
time
for
you.
I
respect
a
teacher
who
really
tries
to
help
someone
improve.
To
get
respect
from
a
kid, you have
to
be
credible.
Also, be
nice but
stern.
Know
what you
are
talking about
and
be creative.
I
respect
a teacher who
is
not lazy, who
works very hard.
Be
consistent. Mean what
you
say, and follow
through. And don't
try
to be one
of
the kids. Being "cool" is
fun
at first but
it
doesn't work. Kids
need to have
a
grown-up in charge.
What
makes
me respect a teacher
is when they follow
through! I like it
when they like kids
and have fun with
the class while we
are learning. I don't
respect teachers who don't
like kids -- why
did they become teachers?
That's a lot of eloquence
and wisdom to digest. I think it can be boiled down
to the following points:
Be strict
but not inflexible. Have a heart and don't
be afraid to show it.
If
you want kids to
work hard, YOU must
be willing to work
hard. Model good
work habits and demonstrate
good values. Care
a lot.
Establish
a
track
record
of
honesty
and
consistency.
Mean
what
you
say.
Follow
through.
Don't
take
a
cheap
path
to
popularity.
Maintain
your
adultness.
So there you have it
-- don't expect enlightenment, gratitude, or quick
results. Someday your students will realize how much
you loved them, how hard you tried. Or maybe not.
It doesn't matter. Just keep doing your best. Respect
yourself.
