ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the controversial – do you have to earn someone's respect? I suggest that teachers address this question early in the first week of school. Teenagers naturally push the boundaries to see what they can get away with and they also want to be recognized as a teenager – not a child. Discussing the respect factor will set the tone for the year. Telling your students that you already respect them before you even know them is a win for both you and the kids. However, you can then explain that because you lead with respect, you expect the same in return. This only works if you actually act in a respectful manner. Condescension has no place in a classroom and will be the biggest obstacle for managing a secondary classroom.
