Respect

Choir in high school was the most annoying class of my day.  I love to sing and have sung throughout all of my schooling, but there was a problem with high school choir.  I felt like we didn't get very much done because we always had to wait for the students to be quiet.  It was as if the students had no respect for their instructors.  Another teacher would tell our class specifically that "I respect you, and I expect you to respect me as well".  But what I have noticed is that seems to be a difficult concept for high school students. Students must understand what respect means, and what it specifically means in the classroom.  For me, respect means that someone who is courteous towards me and what I am trying to say.  Respect in the classroom goes the same way.  It is when the students listen to the teacher while they teach and are engaged in what they are learning.  Respect is a big factor in the classroom.  If the students aren't respectful to the teacher, the teacher might wonder what the point of teaching their class is if the students aren't listening; if the students don't care, why should the teacher?  Respect needs to be established in the classroom.  The teacher needs to show that they respect and care for the students' learning, and will not stand for disrespect.  I've seen teachers yell at students, give them detentions, etc.  But that doesn't do anything to help the issues.  Teachers need to show that their classroom is a relaxed, but professional environment, and that the teachers are there to teach, and the students to learn.