Teaching Tip from Teaching Law by Design
“Mutual respect among students and teachers is fundamental to a healthy teaching and learning environment. Respect should go in three directions: teacher to students, students to teacher, and students to students. Classrooms that feature humiliation, intimidation, or denigration lead many students to withdraw from participation and learning. In respectful environments, students and teachers feel free to explore ideas, solve problems creatively, and challenge one another to grow. Although a precise definition of respect is difficult to articulate, most students and teachers know it when they see it and feel it. We can begin our courses by articulating the critical role that mutual respect will play in our classrooms. Then, students and teachers need to act in ways to maintain a respectful environment throughout the course.”