Respect

Respect. R-e-s-p-e-c-t! Do we DEFINE respect only by Aretha Franklin's famous song that literally spells it out? Well...you could. But I think there's much more to it than that. I would define the big "R" word as more of a way of life. To make it a verb, to be respectful. Respect is to recognize someone or something else as a functioning entity and to treat and use it kindly and with humbleness. In the classroom, respect must be expected and received by the authority figure, or else nothing can be accomplished or learned. Respect is mirrored from student to teacher. Respect is when the teachers acknowledge the students in a courteous manner and allow them to create work that expresses their intellectual freedom while still maintaining the curriculum. Likewise the students must acknowledge the teacher as the authority figure and allow them to have control of the classroom in a courteous manner. It is established through trust. The teacher, especially the first week, has to show that they are reliable and that the student is going to learn something in their classroom. The teacher must set standards of respect in their class, too. These should be upheld all the time and if broken should be called out and discussed.