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Writer's picturePriscilla Suen

Cultivating Respect: Building a Positive Classroom Culture at Astor International School

What teacher does not want a more respectful classroom? Days are packed full of new content to teach, tests to give and grade, and unexpected demands on teachers’ time and attention. Students’ respect for teachers can go a long way toward reminding teachers why they went into teaching in the first place. 

In the image, four young children, three boys and one girl, are smiling and standing close together in a classroom setting. They are all wearing white polo shirts with the "Astor" school logo on them. On the table in front of them, there's a creative project made from cardboard, aluminum foil, and other materials. The children appear to be proud of their work, and the atmosphere is bright and cheerful, with natural light streaming in from the large windows behind them.

How do we get students to respect their teachers at Astor International School? Here are some ideas for you to consider: 


  • Creating a culture of respect. All schools have a school culture. At Astor International School, we spend time and energy, especially in the beginning of the year, to explicitly plan what the school culture will look like. Teachers here spend time with their students talking about how they want their classrooms to look and feel, and they integrate respect into those norms. The next step is to keep those norms alive throughout the year. At Astor International School, teachers remind students about ways to show respect in their day-to-day behavior, to notice situations that have gone well, and to point out how mutual respect was important in those situations. When things do not go well, you can unpack these situations, explore what emotions interfere with respect for others, and identify ways that showing respect could have made the situation better.

In this image, a group of young students are sitting on the floor in a classroom. The children are all wearing white polo shirts with the "Astor" school logo. The classroom is bright and organized, with tables, chairs, and bulletin boards visible in the background. The atmosphere is lively and joyful, with the children appearing excited about their creative projects.

  • Model respectful behavior and hold yourself accountable when things don’t go as planned. Every interaction with a student or teacher creates an opportunity to enhance (or detract from) the development of respect. Students are watching us constantly. Yet we know we are far from perfect. So, if situations arise where we didn’t show respectful behavior—perhaps because of the heat of the moment or frayed nerves—acknowledge that aloud, be vulnerable, and use that as an opportunity to teach.


  • Leadership matters. At Astor International School, our school leaders are friendly and approachable and treat teachers as their equals. They demonstrate a willingness to make changes based on teachers’ suggestions. The adults in school treat each other with respect and promote equity by showing care and respect for every single student at the school. 


  • Integrate examples of other cultures, races, and ethnicities into instruction in ways that lead to respect. At Astor International School, we instill curiosity about people who are different from us - and not judgment. There are lots of discussions in the classroom when exploring various cultures, races and ethnicities.  Students thrive from opportunities for meaningful discussions as they explore these topics because it increases relevance. 

In this image, a group of young students are sitting on the floor in a classroom, each proudly holding up their countries' flags, they’ve created.  The children are all wearing white polo shirts with the "Astor" school logo. The classroom is bright and organized, with tables, chairs, and bulletin boards visible in the background. The atmosphere is lively and joyful, with the children appearing excited about their creative projects.

  • Show students respect. Students are keenly attuned to whether or not adults are showing them respect. How adults respond to them is crucial. Students need to feel like they matter and need more voice and choice in their day-to-day experiences. At Astor International School, we provide these choices in their day-to-day experiences such as choosing their team members for a group project or voting on their class rewards. 

In this image, a group of young students are sitting on the red chairs in a theater, each proudly holding up their countries' flags, they’ve created.

Each and every generation faces new challenges. At Astor, we believe that respect is essential for children and youth to contribute to society now and in the future. 


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