Respect for Self and Others
As educators, we aim to create an environment that promotes both teaching and learning in our schools. Respect is at the heart of this atmosphere, demonstrated both between teachers and students, and among students with their peers.
By promoting a respectful school climate, we are also guiding students towards a path to social justice. There are many harmful messages in society today about “respect,” confusing it with fear, intimidation, or unyielding power. The real meaning of respect has nothing to do with exerting power and control. It is important to teach our young people that respect is about celebrating differences; acknowledging validity in others’ perspectives; believing in the value of oneself and other people; assuming goodwill; and treating all people with dignity.
In her article, Inviting Respect for Social Justice, Michele K. Lewis, Ph.D., identifies a social justice approach to educating that promotes civility and respect.
By embracing diversity, we are teaching young people to celebrate differences, value others, and learn about and interact with people different than themselves. For example, since disrespect for women and girls and treating them with less value is still pervasive in our world today, it is critical that we actively provide consistent messages to boys and young men about how to value and respect girls and women. See the helpful links at the bottom of this page for ways to teach respect.
Take Action
You can promote respect in your classrooms by:
- Establishing boundaries with your students and teaching them how to set and respect boundaries
- Using assertive communication with students and teaching students to do the same.
- Engaging students in taking responsibility for naming, preventing and responding to disrespectful words or acts, such as the pledge shown below. Other examples include giving students assignments to observe and record acts of harassment based on gender, ability, appearance, sexual orientation, race, language, religion, or social class; or having students brainstorm ways to find solutions, change such social norms, and protect classmates from these types of harmful acts.
- Promote activities that build community and connect students across divisive lines.
Students from the Teens Talking About Relationships Club at John Dickinson High School in Wilmington, Delaware ask all students to take a pledge to be part of the solution to end dating and domestic violence.
Respect and Bullying
Often the concept of promoting respect in education is discussed in reference to school climate and the issue of bullying.
As educators, it is imperative that we educate ourselves around social justice issues related to homophobia, racism, and sexism, among other forms of oppression, and understand their clear connections to bullying and harassment.
Consider this research regarding the root of bullying and the response of schools:
- Two-thirds (65%) of teens report that they have been verbally or physically harassed or assaulted during the past year because of their perceived or actual appearance, gender, sexual orientation, gender expression, race/ethnicity, disability or religion.
Download the full report From Teasing to Torment: School Climate in America, A Survey of Students and Teachers. (.pdf file)
- Of derogatory student remarks heard by principals, the majority are sexist and homophobic.
- Principals report that while nearly all (96%) of their schools have anti-bullying policies, less than half specifically mention sexual orientation (46%) or gender identity or expression (39%).
- Three in ten principals (29%) rate their teachers and staff as fair or poor at being able to effectively deal with a student being bullied or harassed because of how traditionally masculine or feminine they are.
Download the full report The Principal’s Perspective: School Safety, Bullying and Harassment, A Survey of Public School Principals. (.pdf file)
For more information check out:
Creating Safe, Fair and Responsive Schools (.pdf file)
http://www.yesinstitute.org
The YES Institute works to prevent suicide and ensure the healthy development of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and all youth by initiating dialogue, providing education, and creating support systems.
http://www.groundspark.org
The “Respect for All” Project by GroundSpark facilitates the development of inclusive, bias-free schools and communities by providing media resources, support and training to youth, educators and service providers. Their film, Straightlaced, features intimate interviews with teenagers about the pressure to conform to traditional gender roles.
http://www.tolerance.org
Teaching Tolerance is a principal online destination for people interested in dismantling bigotry and creating, in hate's stead, communities that value diversity.
http://www.thegeenadavisinstitute.org
The Geena Davis Institute educates entertainment creators and companies about the need to increase the number of girls and women in media that is aimed at kids, and to reduce stereotyping of girls and women.
http://www.endabuse.org/content/action_center/detail/806
Coaching Boys Into Men is a campaign of the Family Violence Prevention Fund about the importance of teaching boys early and often how to honor and respect women
http://www.acalltomen.com
A Call to Men is a national men's organization addressing men and boy’s violence against women and the eradication of sexism.
http://www.hghw.org
Hardy Girls Healthy Women (HGHW) strives to create a world in which all girls and women experience equality, independence, and safety in their everyday lives.
http://www.nonamecallingweek.org
No Name-Calling Week is an annual week of educational activities aimed at ending name-calling of all kinds and providing schools with the tools and inspiration to launch an on-going dialogue about ways to eliminate bullying in their communities.
