Creating a positive classroom can be centered around a single word: respect. It is a concept that needs to be applied to every aspect of the classroom. To establish a positive environment, three relationships should be focused on:
1. Teacher-class (as a whole)
2. Teacher-student (individual)
3. Student-student
1. The ways that teachers can be respectful to the entire class may seem straightforward, but can be difficult in execution. Respect your students enough to leave any ill will or frustration left over from your day; start each period with a clean slate. The students of this period don't need to feel the burden of your bad mood when they've done nothing wrong (yet).
Respect that students' learning is paced differently. Play to the strengths and abilities of each student rather than maintaining standards that may be impossible for some to reach. This will only create a negative atmosphere of helplessness and resentment towards the teacher and the students who are actually reaching those goals.
Respect student's time and need for consistency. This applies to rules, discipline, and even lesson planning. Be fair with rules, and make sure they apply to every student equally. This means no playing favorites (as tempting as it might be). If you offer a reward, make sure those who earned it get it, and the same goes for punishments. 'Empty threats' only serve to create a void for students to take advantage. In lesson planning, respect your students' time. Plan your time well and be prepared for every possibility to prevent any 'dead air'. Children can recognize when a teacher is uninterested in a topic, and it only conveys a similar feeling.
2. Teachers should respect their students on an individual level as well as a group. Marzano makes an excellent point about emotional objectivity: "emotional objectivity does not imply being impersonal with or cool toward students. Rather, it involves keeping a type of emotional distance from the ups and downs of classroom life and not taking students’ outbursts or even students’ direct acts of disobedience personally" (Marzano 152). In my interpretation, this means respecting students' personal motivations for their actions, even if they are a personal affront to you as a teacher. Everyone has a different background, and it's impossible for a teacher to judge a person's character solely on their classroom behavior. Becoming hostile or judgmental towards a student for disobedience only causes resentment and more chaos. When emotional objectivity is recognized, students will be more comfortable coming to the teacher with problems and accepting their authority.
3. No teacher can force a student to be friends with another student, or even to respect them sincerely. However, they can certainly create an environment to foster a sense of understanding and respect among colleagues. When children can appreciate that learning isn't a competition, that social interactions don't have to be limited to bullying and violence, the opportunity for genuine friendship can arise. Activities that require cooperation and codependence for success gives students the chance to connect on a deeper level, to understand each other's strengths and motivations. When mutual respect is established, even if it doesn't lead to friendships, the entire class benefits from the resulting positivity.
Marzano, Robert J. "Chapter 8." The Art and Science of Teaching: A Comprehensive Framework for Effective Instruction. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 2007. 149-61. Web. 27 July 2014.
