Respect

I believe teachers need to be role models for their students.  Being a role model encompasses a wide range of actions. There is no place for “do as I say not as I do” in the classroom.  They need to realize that they can learn from, question and even disagree with their teacher.  Teachers need to model how to behave in the wider world, not just in the classroom world.  An incorporating anti bias curriculum shows children that everyone is unique and we need to learn about our differences, not hide them from each other.  We need to show that being different is an everyday thing, not something to be celebrated on one certain day.  By learning about our students, not just listening to them but hearing them, we can incorporate their familiarities into the learning process.  By modeling this process of getting to truly know our students, the students then learn how to truly become a part of a community.  

Teachers need to model professionalism.  Students need to see that teachers respect the work of teaching.  How will we be able to expect students to do their best if we are not doing our best?  Teachers need to show that mistakes are made but that if you do not learn from them then they are truly mistakes.  Teachers need to be human, thus giving that right to their students.  Modeling how to live in the wider world is a huge responsibility and one that should not be taken lightly.  Teachers need to look deep into who they are and challenged themselves to become better society members.  Their students in the end will be able to emulate what they have been shown.

I believe children deserve respect.  If we do not respect children, how can we expect them to learn?  We need to respect where they come from, who they are, and what they would like to become.  We can not be little them and think we know what is best for them without getting to know them.  Teachers need to try and not place their feelings onto the children (“they should feel this way because that is how I would feel” does not work).  Teachers need to respect the fact that all of their students come from different backgrounds, different home environments and different lifestyles.  We need to acknowledge and respect those differences.  We need to realize that children are smart and savvy.  It is disrespectful to teach them in ideas and values that we do not believe in.  Respect is what I expect to give my students and it is what expect back from them.  If I have this fundamental principle in my classroom I know we are going to learn a lot from one another.  

In my classroom I value open communication, structure, and fun.  I do not think you can have a safe learning environment with out those 3 core values.  We need to be able to openly communicate with our students.  If we do not have this open communication then the classroom will not be able to function.  Everyone must know that they have a right to say how they are feeling in my classroom.  We need to be able to listen to one another and truly hear what is being said.  There are going to be disagreements along the way.  Through open communication these disagreements are easier to swallow and to move ahead.  Structure is important in my classroom.  I want my students to feel safe and able to speak their minds in my classroom.  By setting some structure I will be giving them the safe environment that they seek.  Finally fun, it needs to be present in the classroom.  Without fun learning is just plain hard.  We need to be able to laugh, and in turn also to cry.  Fun is the gateway to expressing our emotions in the classroom.  It is important to be able to do that.  Plus children need to have a chance to be kids and be silly.  I truly believe that this is fundamental in the growing process.  To be able to laugh at oneself is divine.  The students in my classroom are going to be in an environment that cherishes this and them.