TAP+Respectful+Culture

Please post ideas for creating a Respectful Culture Here.

Exemplary TAP rubric descriptors for Respectful Culture
 * Positive relationships and interdependence characterize the classroom.
 * Teacher-student interactions demonstrate caring and respect for one another.
 * Students exhibit caring and respect for one another.
 * Teacher seeks out, and is receptive to the interests and opinions of all students.

_ Classroom Examples: Community Building; Google Group; Lowers Affective Filter; Snack Time; Maslov; Find Some Who...; Fun; Hanging Out; Students' Interests; need for movement, breaks

Bioglyph: Here is an example of a community builder that one of my former students/current teachers used in her class. It served 2 purposes: 1) community builder 2) Content- students learned how to collect observational data from the activity

Desk Arrangement Effects on Pupil Classroom Behavior This article looked at how students performed in class based on the arrangement of the desks in the classroom. They studied rows, clusters, and circles. This article made introduced me to the idea of setting the room up in a circle. It seems like it would make the students more open to discussion. Thus, that openess I think would be good for building a respectful community. (interesting take on room arrangment. I have seen a lot of focus on room arrangement and student behaviors as I've been visiting schools this past week. Paula)

I found the article in which the girl with behavioral problems spills chocolate milk on the teacher and the teacher just guides the student away from bad behavior and offers to braid her hair to be tough to take in but I got the point. I see that as teachers we don't want to perpetuate conflicts and that punishment as we know it today just keeps the cycle of negativity going. However, the teacher in this article must be up for sainthood. For me I think that the offer to do braids in the girl's hair might cross over a line. I agree that the braids had a positive effect on the girl, but does that put the teacher to close to being the student's friend as opposed to being a mentor and instructor? Are all teachers really supposed to be that giving? Anyway, that teacher is one super cool lady.( **Ok, so following your lead, what might be an appropriate 'bonding' activity for a middle school classroom? For example, some of the best teachers I know spend a few lunches, not all :), with difficult and excelling students. Any other ideas?- Paula**)

I liked that the article on respect showed me how some of the old ways of respect are incorrect and shallow in their practice. I liked how it dug in and it really got into what the meaning of respect really is. ( **Tommy, I'm interested in your vision of respect. How would you define the meaning of respect? Paula**)

-Tommy

Reaction to the article" Creating Respectful Classroom Environments" by Regina Miller and Joan Pedro - David

Respect is presented here as a preeminent value and its cultivation a key goal in fostering a positive classroom environment. The authors expound on what a respectful classroom looks like – words, actions, attitudes, even body language of participants is positive and edifying. They talk about steps a teacher must take to build this kind of environment; relationship building and modeling are key, as well as personal reflection and examining values and biases that are brought to the classroom.

I will admit to occasionally rolling my eyes or groaning a bit at the thought of reflecting yet again on another aspect of a classroom teaching or learning experience. At the beginning of the program, all this reflecting struck me as a bit touchy-feely, a little precious. But after three months of practice I have come to see that it is a worthwhile endeavor, that it is helpful to focus and talk out exactly what happened, what went right, what went wrong, and why. So I really responded to the idea from this article about reflecting on the presuppositions and biases that we bring as teachers to our classrooms. Have we had experiences with similar learners, certain groups of people, the family of this student before? How will that shape how we interact with this particular learner? Will being aware of those prejudices (not necessarily in the racial sense) help to mitigate them? It certainly is a good start.

**Michelle D.'s response to the article "Building relationships with Challenging Children"**

**Wow! I know things have changed a lot since I was in elementary school, but this article helps me to realize just how much they have changed. My favorite part of the article is this:** "A key to building a relationship, however, is not punishing the student—ever. Why not? Because punishment strains or even breaks the bond between teacher and student. Punishment may temporarily control behavior, but it does nothing to teach the student an appropriate response." **When I initially was reading these lines, I thought it was a little crazy to think of punishment as counter productive, perhaps because it was the discipline that I received in school. After reading the entire article and thinking it over, I think it all makes complete sense. I think that most children who are challenging are that way because there is something else going on behind the scenes with them that makes them feel like they need to act out. It looks like in Adreen's case, she had trouble trusting people so she chose to push them away instead of risking having to trust them enough to form a relationship with them. When we punish children, we are only pushing them farther away when we should be building relationships with them. I definitely agree with everything this article says.**

Response to the article "Creating Respectful Environments"

**I could not agree more with the importance of respect in the classroom. I definitely think that it is teachers' responsibility to teach students the importance of respect and to make respect a standard in their classroom. I like how the article points out not only respecting one another in the classroom, but also respecting materials and supplies in the classroom. Just as teachers are responsible for modeling the state standards as they are being taught, it is equally important for the teacher to model respect. Students will not be able to achieve their full academic potential until they feel respected, valued, and safe in their classrooms. Teaching students and modeling respect for them opens the keys for students success in the classroom and in their lives.** ** Dacquiri’s response to the article “Building relationships with Challenging Children” **

** In the new paradigm, behavior programming puts the initial responsibility for behavior change on the teacher, the most capable and only professionally trained person in the classroom. The relationship building approach more often leads to success. **

After, reading the article I was speechless for a moment. I began to self reflect. Asking myself, “What would I do if I was in that situation?” The teachers’ response was admirable. She demonstrated restraint and was striving for a better relationship with the student. She didn’t take it personal. She treated the child with respect, suggested braiding the child hair and made herself available in spite of what happened. We often times do not know what baggage students come to our class with and we cannot react so swiftly. The key word is “react”. Often time we hear students have changed their negative behaviors around because a teacher has looked the other way and taken a special interest in them. As in this article, the student really became a better student.

Reaction to the article" Creating Respectful Classroom Environments" by Regina Miller and Joan Pedro - Roxi

"A respectful classroom is an open-minded classroom. In such a classroom students feel safe when they are sharing ideas. They should be able to accept each other’s ideas and values even if they do not agree with them. If this takes place, everyone will feel a connection to each other."

I think everyone could benefit from a refresher course in Open-mindedness and Tolerance 101 – regardless of age. This seems like such a no-brainer sort of idea, but I think that sometimes in the effort to teach students the “right” answers and the “right” type of behavior, we sometimes forget the importance of teaching this in a way that does not devalue alternative answers and behaviors. (Excellent Point. We often get caught up in the content and discipline, that it is easy to overlook ways to value students in a sensitive and respectful manner. PT) This is not to say that every behavior or thought should be celebrated, especially those that threaten a student’s safety or ability to learn. Students should always feel safe in the classroom. However, part of feeling “safe” is feeling that different opinions and values, as long as they are expressed respectfully, will be given proper respect in return. As teachers, we should strive not simply to give students the “right” answers and way to do things, but to teach them to think critically for themselves and help them develop the ability to discuss opinions in respectful and open-minded ways with those who think differently.

** Dacquiri response to the article “A respectful classroom environment decreases the fear of the unknown and unexplored.” ** I feel a respectful classroom environment enables to students to share their diverse backgrounds and cultures. Students will be comfortable within them and welcome new cultural information from their peers. Students will have no fear of participating in class discussion regarding their individual differences. Often time students do not participate in classroom discussion because of fear if their ineffective ability to enunciation and pronunciation of the English language. I feel that we have a responsibility to create and maintain a level of respect for each students classroom learning environment. Students should feel safe to explore and share their different experiences, values and culture among other students. ( Agreed. How do you plan to create such an environment in your own classroom? PT)