Respect

Noun

Due regard for the feelings, wishes, rights, or traditions of others.

That is the Oxford Languages definition of respect. It is one of our main virtues at Country Day, but it is often forgotten and ignored. We have respect for our friends: we listen when they talk, we show up to support them in sports games or plays, and overall we’re a good person to them. We have respect for our parents: we listen when they tell us to do something, we talk to them in a polite manner, and we show them that we love them. So where is the disconnect when we talk to our teachers? Instead of showing respect to them, we talk over them, ignore them, hit each other with meter sticks, and laugh at them. Why do we do this?

The teachers at Country Day are beyond amazing. They are passionate about their teachings, and they are kind inside and out of the classroom. So what gives us the right to be disrespectful towards them?

Nothing. We treat our teachers as if they are not actually there, like they are the Peanuts’ teacher, incessantly droning on and on, interrupting our day and our conversations. Yet the situation is reversed. We are the ones being rude towards them, interrupting their teachings and conversations. I think we often forget that our teachers are humans too. They have families and friends, but most importantly, they have feelings. How do you think our teachers feel when someone is talking about some recent drama while they are trying to explain something they are passionate about and have extensive knowledge about? How do you think they feel when nobody in the class is listening to what they are saying? I know for many of us when something like that happens, such as a group of friends ignoring what you are saying, we do not feel the greatest. Nobody likes being ignored.

We as students need to change our attitudes towards teachers. There are plenty of times where we can be loud, childish, and they the entire world revolves around us (spoiler alert, it doesn’t), but a school classroom is not the time for that. Remember, your teachers just want you to succeed and are there to help you do so. Our teachers are human, just like you and me. Do not treat them like they are any less.