Ralph Waldo Emerson – Respect
“The secret to education lies in respecting the student.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Big Idea
Students learn a great deal about respect inside the classroom walls. Not only do they pay attention to how their teachers and classmates treat them, but they also carry expectations for how they should act in return. Mutual respect in the classroom is a noble goal in theory, but hard to achieve because either the student or the teacher is unable to hold up his/her end of the deal. Without mutual respect, learning is elusive and the classroom is quickly gripped by misbehavior and personal conflict.
Claim
According to American transcendentalist Ralph Waldo Emerson, real learning can only happen when the teacher respects the student.
Counterclaim
Learning can only happen when the student respects the teacher. Student respect is a derivative of teacher respect.
Essential
Question
What does respect look like in the classroom?
Student Video
Ruby Bridge – Respect
Within a unit on Segregation it would be a good idea to look at the story of Ruby Bridges to discuss the theme of respect, as she was one of the first African American children to attend an all-white ...
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