Irina Starovoytova's Blog

I suppose the term “Earning respect” means that a teacher should be a personality which deserves respect. In my opinion a true good teacher should be a well-educated one, he/she should keep an open mind, have broad outlook and versatile interests, not mention such personal qualities as respect to the students as well as to all other people, fairness and patience.

I believe that a key to earning students' respect is respecting students first. I always try to treat students like adults or at least like intelligent beings who may have their own needs and interests that will not necesserily coincide with my own. But if you respect your students, you will be able to discuss issues with them and agree on something that will more or less suit both sides. True, there will be such people who take respect for weakness on the part of the teacher, but such people are never a majority.

Dear colleagues,

I can't but agree with both of you.

There was a short note on the wall in my Iowa high-school where I worked several years ago: "Give respect. Get respect." A thing to remember and practise.