EMG Quote of the Week – Show Respect!

Respect seems like a really basic requirement of schools. Teacher’s often talk about respecting other students and property. But how much is this modelled as well? Are your actions matching your words? Have you every apologised to a student or is that considered beneath you? What I found over my time in the classroom, there were times where I had to humble myself and be okay with not having all the answers and sometimes making mistakes. After all, we are human and we can have off days. And modelling this to students is huge. After all, teachers and support staff stay with their students for a long time throughout the calendar year. Do you respect your students opinions and show that they too can have a voice – or do you always have to be right? See when we approach our work with confidence and also humility and a focus on relationships, respect becomes core to how and who you are. You can’t demand respect – it can only be earnt and sometimes the best way to do this is through modelling this in the first place. You know when you have a student get angry with a decision you’ve made but then apologise for their behaviour later because they’ve reflected and understood that they didn’t show respect, you know you are held highly in their regard. It’s easy for people to approach and be respectful when things are all good. It is a whole different story when there is conflict or when things get a little tougher. True character is like a diamond – it thrives under pressure. And it’s usually in pressure situations that respect is demonstrated and displayed for all to see. The result is that it ends up coming back two fold. Why? Because it was not what you necessarily did that mattered. It was how you made the student feel that made it important.

For more quotes of the week, keep an eye on #EMG_Quoteoftheweek!Written by Michael Dunn – EMG Consultant and Primary Teacher