[dropcap]I[/dropcap]f I had to name some of the things I dislike the most, students who disrespect their teachers would be at the top of that list. My strong loathing for disrespectful students probably roots from my parents both being teachers, not to mention I also plan on becoming a teacher, so this topic is pretty personal. Of course, every teacher is different; some are more lenient and easygoing than others, but the fact still remains that all teachers are human.
With that said, it should be implied that you treat your teachers with a certain amount of respect. There will always be a handful of teachers who look like they hate their job, but that shouldn’t change the way you treat them. You have no idea what a teacher has going on in his or her personal life, which brings up another point. If a teacher is open and wishes to talk to students in a friendly manner, so be it, but if it is obvious that a teacher does not want to reveal anything about his or her personal life, don’t pry for information.
Teachers are also in a place of higher authority than you, so it confuses me when I see my classmates talk to them like they don’t have years of expertise under their belt. Correcting a teacher for a mistake is one thing, but straight up arguing because you don’t agree is something entirely different and unacceptable. Some students think getting up in front of an entire class and talking all day is easy, yet they are the first ones to choke up during a project presentation.
Throughout my years in education, I’ve noticed a growing trend in students who seem to think they can say whatever they want to their teachers. It’s most likely a generational issue, but we can’t know for sure. All I know is that when you waste time disrespecting a teacher, it takes away from the learning experience of other students and messes with the educational environment for everyone. I’ve had teachers who break down out of frustration with students who just don’t listen. It’s sad to think that the only argument students resort to is: “They chose to become a teacher, they should know what’s coming.” Yes, they chose to become a teacher, but they sure as hell did not choose to be surrounded by disrespectful delinquents all day. How hard is it to respect someone?
Some are more lenient and easygoing than others, but the fact still remains that all teachers are human.
This week, I talked to my AP Psych teacher about pursuing a career in education and she told me something that will stick with me forever. She said, “if you want to be a teacher, you need to do it because you love it.” When a teacher, like mine, radiates a passion for teaching, it makes it so much easier to respect them and appreciate the course. I can tell that she genuinely enjoys her job and tries her best to make the class as entertaining as possible while presenting the lesson in a way that is easy to understand. Not everyone will be lucky enough to get a teacher like this, but the best thing you can do in any situation is to remain respectful. Ultimately, without teachers, we are nothing.
I dedicate this article to all teachers because you are the foundation of education and inspire generations to become something greater than ever imagined, even when nobody else believes in us.
