2a. Creating an Environment of Respect and Rapport

• Teacher interactions with students, including both words and actions
• Student interactions with other students, including both words and actions

Classroom interactions between the teacher and students and among students are highly respectful, reflecting genuine warmth, caring, and sensitivity to students as individuals. Students exhibit respect for the teacher and contribute to high levels of civility among all members of the class. The net result is an environment where all students feel valued and are comfortable taking intellectual risks.

This is a component that I pride myself on in my own classroom. I try my hardest to create respectful relationships with the students and make my class a safe place for them to learn. It's difficult to demonstrate this component without actually stepping foot in my classroom, but I did include a socratic seminar lesson plan below that I feel really encourages these respectful student interactions. Often during a seminar you will find my students redirecting each other or appreciating others' ideas. In this kind of lesson, they take ownership of the class. I also am always willing to meet with students when I have open periods during the day. My room is usually never empty, as students are always coming for extra help or a quiet space to work.