by Samantha Overmyer

Created on: January 20, 2011   Last Updated: January 24, 2011

Winning the respect of your students is important to become a great teacher. If students respect you they will trust your ability to teach them what they need to know. Below are a few steps made easy on helping teachers to gain respect in their classrooms.

Make them laugh

A teacher who knows how to joke around once in awhile will seem trustworthy and friendly enough to come to for any problem. Students can actually have anxiety about speaking to teachers, so letting them know that you're like a friend will help them come to trust and respect you.

Taking a stand

Don't let yourself or other students be bullied by a classmate. When a student gets out of hand give him or her a premade note card that says, "Take your books and meet me in the principal's office right now please." Keep a stack of these premade note cards in your desk, so that when the occasion comes no one gets embarrassed or troubled by the interruption during class. Nothing upsets a class more than a rowdy student arguing with an angry teacher. The only reason you should say something is if they ignore the message.

Know when to be flexible

You plan a pop quiz for Friday, but then early in the week they have back to back snow days. A flexible teacher would either cancel the quiz or give the quiz and then tell them after that you weren't actually grading them on it. This will make a very relieved class, and they will respect you for your understanding that their memory isn't so good after a break away.

Fun activities

When a teacher gives a fun week long project kids are more happy and ready to learn. The slackers will have five school days and the weekend to complete it. Some students who finish early in the week can be given a library pass to go and read the last few days and have the weekend off. Other fun things that students like are educational movies. This lets them feel like it's a free day, but they are actually learning in the process. 

Be there

Be available for any students who need help. Let them know that they can ask a hundred questions or ask the same question a hundred times until they understand the problem. A lot of students are afraid to ask more than one or two questions because they feel they are wasting your valuable time. Some students will nod their head as if they understand what you said, but they really don't get it. Make sure that they know that if they don't get it the first time, you'll explain it other ways over and over until they figure out exactly what you mean. Also try having the class close their eyes, walk around the room to make sure everyone's eyes are shut, and then ask everyone who doesn't understand to raise their hands. This will let you know whether you should continue to review until everyone is on the same page.

Lastly, just remember that a kind teacher is a respected teacher. A little kindness goes a long way and will touch the hearts and minds of many students throughout your teaching years. You may even become a favorite teacher who students remember well into adulthood. 

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