Respect

            Respect is the act of accepting and valuing another person’s boundaries, opinions, and authority. People do not necessarily have to agree with another person’s opinions but they should make an effort to understand or at least disagree in a considerate manner. Respect is not created through intimidation, being overly controlling, undermining other’s differences, or verbally attacking a person’s values and opinions. Respect is the basis for creating trust in a relationship. When people do not trust each other, it becomes very difficult to learn from that person. For students to learn from their teacher and teachers to learn from their students, respect must be involved in the relationship.

            Respect is best established in a classroom by being respectful. The teacher is responsible for creating an environment where respect can thrive. If students can have a model of what respect looks like from the teacher, then they in turn can model respect. When individuals, teachers and students alike, have the knowledge and the guarantee that their actions and opinions will be given value, it creates a better learning environment. When there is a lack of respect in the classroom, the students’ educations suffer because the teacher spends all of his or her time trying to gain control of his or her classroom. If the meaning of respect while in class is established from the very beginning, the doorway is opened for an excellent learning environment.