Respect in the classroom

When I asked my church choir of kindergarten through 3rd graders what it means to be respectful they gave me the typical answer, "Be nice and be kind." This is what we are taught is respect, to raise your hand to answer a question, listen when others are talking, keep hands to yourself and be nice to your classmates. But I think respect can be seen in so many other ways in the classroom. Not only do students need to respect teachers, but teachers need to respect their students as well. In order to expect students to listen and pay attention when the teacher is talking, the teacher needs to, in turn, actively listen when students are expressing their opinions and feelings about a particular subject. There needs to be an understanding on the part of the teacher that all students learn and think differently, and part of respecting students is to address and accommodate these differences. Students need to have control of their learning. At my first rehearsal with my children's choir of 4th-7th graders, after explaining my expectations of them, I asked them if they had any expectations they wanted to add to the list to make this year the best year it can be for them and for the teacher. Teachers cannot make demands of their students without giving something in return. It is only when students feel respected and responsible for their learning that students will feel comfortable and willing to share their ideas freely. A lack of respect from the teacher results in students not getting the most out of their educational experience. And in order for anything to get done in the classroom, students need to respect the teacher and their fellow classmates or too much time will get wasted on discipline that could have gone to learning. Respect in the classroom is more than just 'being nice and being kind.' It is an extremely important part of being an effective teacher, and giving students a valuable learning experience.