Classroom Management in a Disrespectful Climate

November 24th, 2008 By: Diane Trim in Articles, School Climate, Teachers' Corner

According to a November 13 MyVoice© study of students in grades 6-12, only 39% of them believe that students respect their teachers. Fifty-four percent of the students surveyed said that teachers respect students.

That means that our schools have a culture of disrespect where over half of the students and teachers disrespect one another.

The Pearson Educational Assessment Group and the Qualglia Institute for Student Aspirations (www.qisa.org) studied over 411,000 students in 569 schools across 32 states. Researchers gave students from various socioeconomic backgrounds in grades 6 -12 a 69-question survey about their engagement and their perceptions of the educational system.

Of those students surveyed, just 48 percent felt that their teachers cared whether or not they were absent from school. Yet 65 percent of the students said that they have a teacher who is a positive role model.

“What these results illustrate is that while teachers have the potential to inspire students, they are not doing so in ways that students recognize,” survey founder Dr. Russell J. Quaglia said. “Most troubling is the fact that over half of the students in this country don’t think teachers care if they even show up.”

The report says that teachers are a position to make positive changes in their students’ lives, or, as the study says, be a hero for their students. A hero, the report says, is a person who connects with students, builds up students’ trust and belief in themselves, listens to and values students’ ideas, and has a positive influence on students’ lives.

Brian Mendler, author of Tips 4 Teachers, said that the key to positive classroom discipline is making personal connections with students. “Spend time relationship building,” Mendler, president of the Teacher Learning Center (www.tlc-sems.com) said. “Carve time into your block or period to listen to [students]. Talk to them about hobbies, interests, music. Once you get to know them, you can teach them anything you want.”

According to the MyVoice report, Mendler’s relationship-building is just what a school climate full of disrespect needs. However, the report points out that this positive relationship building is challenging when neither students nor teachers respect one another.

“There’s more to school than just the subjects,” Mendler said. “[Students] don’t what we know until they know we care.”

Tags: Classroom Management