Lesson Plan Ideas? Teaching Respect

Teachers are faced every school year with a new group of bright young minds that are raised in a myriad of circumstances - from those who are residing in traditional homes to families that would fit right in on the Jerry Springer show. Unfortunately, some of the lessons that should be taught at home are not, and as a result teachers are caught up in the necessity to do the work of a parent on occasion, and one of these instances is teaching children basic respect. Dependent upon individual thoughts of a given teacher on the subject, a lesson plan for teaching respect can be a short quick one, or a plan longer in duration and scope that will drive the concepts of respect home in a manner that will be retained for a lifetime. In either case, the teacher has an impact on each child that goes far beyond the basics of reading, writing and arithmetic, and lessons learned can serve a child well for life.

In the most basic of terms, teaching plans for children to learn respect can start with simple hypothetical interactions of role playing to learn polite deportment. Teaching children to say "thank you', "please" and "you are welcome" not only impress upon children the proper usage of etiquette, but to respect the action of the individual that prompted the correct response. Rudimentary lessons of what a respectful and civil human being does and does not engage in should be taught in an entertaining manner because a teacher that can hold the attention of children has a much greater impact in what children will absorb and retain beyond a particular school day.

At the beginning of the school year, when a teacher presents what behaviors are expected from students in the classroom they are giving a lesson in respect, and it should be expounded upon beyond the individual rules.Respect for the property of others, personal space and the peaceful existence of other children can be incorporated into an overall lesson plan in the positive aspects of respectful interaction. Similarly, a teacher that corrects a student when addressing an adult in a casual or disrespectful manner should be utilized to the maximum effect on every occasion as a learning tool for the entire class in what is deemed respectful and what is inappropriate behavior.

The best lesson plan a teacher can use to teach respect is to simply become ever vigilant to disrespectful attitudes from students and to correct them every time with a sense of urgency and sternness that will resonate not only with the student in question, but with the entire class.