Respect

     Throughout my life, I have and continue to define and practice respect based on the Golden Rule..."do to others what you would have them do to you."  This rule is of such great importance to me that it will greatly be enforced and acted upon in my classroom, no matter how old my students are.  I believe it is very important for children to learn early what respect is, how it should be practiced, and the effects it has on every individual's life.
     There are several steps to establishing respect in a classroom setting.  First, as I teacher, I need to set good examples in various settings because if students view me acting respectful no matter what kind of situation I am in, they will absorb that and follow my example.  Second, I will make respectfulness towards one's self and others a rule in my classroom.  I will post a visual, similar to the one on the left so students can always be reminded of the traits that display respect.  Having this rule will remind students everyday that respect is something they should strive to achieve.  At the beginning of the year, when establishing and describing this rule I would have the students discuss instances involving respect, and possibly even perform a demonstration involving the do's and don'ts of respecting others.  When a situation comes up in a students life, they can relate back to what we discussed in order to make a good choice.  Third, respect is best established in a classroom by acknowledging and praising those who display respect.  I think it would be a great idea to set up a classroom respect point system with a reward (such as an in-class lunch, extra recess, game time, etc).  At the end of each school day, I could give a point based on if I saw respect throughout the classroom that day.  By establishing this system, respecting others will eventually become a way of life instead of something one does just to be nice.
          Taking all these steps towards respect is so important to me because every student; regardless of size, race, intelligence, looks, or dress, deserves the right to be treated equally.  When there is a lack of respect in the classroom, children feel discouraged, scared, uncomfortable, and unwanted.  It is not right for any child to go home at the end of the day, not wanting to come back because of how they were treated.  In many cases, a children's home life is rough enough, and school should be a place for them to feel safe and cared for.  In a respectful classroom, every student would feel equal and would want to converse, achieve, and succeed to the best of their abilities; without degradation and with the help of their teacher and classmates.  Overall, a respectful classroom is an effective classroom.