Back To School: How To Earn Your Students’ Respect

Getting the respect of your students is paramount to delivering a fluid lesson. As a teacher, you’re at the helm of your class, but no one likes the overlord raining down on sleepyheads with an iron fist!

Establishing mutual respect in the classroom is best accomplished early on. As always, you’ll encounter difficult students in all corners of education. But managing expectations and laying out some amicable ground rules will set the tone for a productive learning environment.

It won’t take long to gauge your student’s respect for you. Are they on time? Can you command and maintain their attention? Do they follow through on tasks? 

Alhassan Susso knows the ropes and then some when it comes to leading a class. He’s been in the field for more than 11 years and won a handful of awards – one of his most notable awards being the 2019 New York State Teacher of The Year. 

The bottom line is this: any interaction between students and teachers should be based on respect. Thankfully, getting on the same level isn't as challenging as it is important. There are several ways to go about it.

Here is a brief overview from Alhassan on how to establish respect with your students.

Positivity Is King
Alhassan champions the impact of having a positive attitude. By being the example you wish to set, you can expect to see those qualities gradually reflected by your students.

It’s critical to be truthful and sincere in your communication. As a teacher, you should remember that your students look to you for direction and inspiration. Being open and honest will contribute to an encouraging atmosphere where your students can flourish.

Let Them Know That You Care About Their Wellbeing
Showing your students you are concerned about their welfare is an organic approach to earning respect. Don’t overcomplicate this one; just make a personal connection with them by being your good old human self. Be generally curious and inquisitive about how they’re getting on and you’ll quickly find yourself striking the chemistry that’ll help you teach them.

Alhassan believes that teachers should be interested rather than being interesting. Don’t just learn how good they are at your subject or overinvest in making them better at it. Explore their lifestyles and personalities rather than trying to pull them into your curriculum with grades in your eyes. Seek to understand before demanding to be understood. 

Treat Your Students With Respect
Trust precipitates respect. If you give respect and earn trust, in most cases, you’ll get it back. Respect is the cornerstone to a productive classroom and fosters a positive learning environment. Again, exhibit the conduct you wish returned. 

Undoubtedly, students are more inclined to behave politely toward you and other students in the classroom when you treat them with respect. When they understand you think highly of them, they’re likely to want to reciprocate, which can inspire heightened drive and work ethic as a result.

Exercise Patience When Dealing With Troublesome Conduct 
Being patient and empathetic when dealing with troublesome conduct in the classroom is an imperative trait of a respected teacher. Equanimity in difficult situations tells everyone involved that you are the one control. If you lose your temper, you’re clearly off balance – and troublemakers will take advantage of that vulnerability. 

Students are more inclined to appreciate their teachers and act more appropriately when they perceive that they don’t lose patience. It also tells the well-behaved kids that they’re in good hands when things get shaky. 

Why do kids misbehave? That’s a complicated topic. But getting a general grasp on how psychological factors affect classroom conduct can help you better adopt ways to deal with it. There’s a multitude of reasons why a student might play up. The proactive solution is understanding them best to get the result the class needs.

Most people don’t really like being told what to do. Addressing people with an authoritative tone can have the opposite of the desired effect. But there’s usually a sweet spot you can hit to get your point across without sounding like you’ve missed your morning coffee.

Absorb their needs and find that channel to empower your students as the person they look to for knowledge.

Proactivity Over Reactivity 
Encourage mutual respect. Sometimes, it’s not as second nature to some as it should be. Establishing this behavior early in life could be one of the most valuable lessons you ever teach. Ultimately, by setting an example of respect for others, you can motivate your students to do the same. Everyone wins.

Communicate the essence of treating others with kindness and respect, emphasizing – as mentioned – that’s how we get it back. It’s your responsibility to help everyone nurture a sense of community in the classroom where everyone is respected and cherished. Get the kids active and collaborative in their journeys. Passivity breeds stagnation and separation. By getting people involved, you can better the chances of your teaching having an actual impact in their lives.

Have Clear Expectations 
As a teacher, it’s likely you’re already eager to build strong relationships with your students. Setting up clear guidelines and expectations from the outset will make that process miles simpler. Here’s a few reasons why:

1. Everyone knows where they stand from day one. It’s harder to undo bad habits than it is to start with good ones. With the foundation set, an effective learning environment will naturally follow.
2. It shows your commitment to education. If it’s clear that this is a place where people learn, that’s what they’ll do.
3. Your guidance on how to behave becomes bold and memorable – which builds rapport for people who appreciate clarity in any new relationship.

Students are still humans, of which none are perfect. Relationships can be rickety but that’s they’re natural path as building blocks of meaningful education. Education unites all sorts of different cultures and beliefs about sitting in front of an adult to benefit their future. 

You’ve got to remember that you’re entitled to respect. Put your heart into what you do, as Alhassan stresses, since educating the mind without the heart is no education at all. 

It’s someone’s child, after all, so treat them like your own. It’s that only surefire way to reap the truly enriching, altruistic rewards for which you got in this game to begin with.

Featured image by Kenny Eliason on Unsplash