Creating a Safe and Respectful Classroom Environment

The scenarios and RAFT activity we did in class today really forced me begin to see the types of issues we as teachers will encounter and possible ways to address them. Two of the responses in particular that really stuck with me in thinking about my own classroom environment were the letter addressing the bullying and harassment (scenario 2) and the diary entry regarding the encouragement (and lack thereof) for pursing a college education.

In order to create a safe and respectful environment, students need to feel that what they have to say is important and will be heard by the others in the classroom. They also need to feel free to say anything, as long as what they are saying is not disrespectful to anyone else. Another part of creating this safe and respectful environment is also letting it be known from the very beginning that students’ aspirations and goals are of the utmost importance and that they will be encouraged and supported in whatever they aspire to be. Similarly, I also feel it is also important to create an environment in which students would feel free to discuss their aspirations, goals, concerns or even problems outside of school with me, so that if a situation similar to scenario 2 were to occur, they would feel that they had someone else to turn to who would provide the encouragement that they needed.

The letter addressing sexual harassment is also very closely aligned with my own views of the environment in which students should learn in. As a teacher, I would make sure that my students knew that there is zero tolerance for bullying in any form. Part of creating a safe space for students is to be perfectly clear from the beginning what is expected of the students and what will and will not be tolerated. While realistically simply stating that it won’t be tolerated may not be enough to stop it from happening, presenting expectations in a clear manner from the beginning, would definitely contribute to building this safe and respectful environment.

While creating a safe and respectful space seems like a daunting task, I know it can be done because I've had a multiple classrooms where the environment was like a safe haven to express myself and to speak with the teacher and students about anything (as long as it was respectful). I’ve had teachers who, from the very first day, communicated to the students exactly what kind of environment they want to build in their classroom by explicitly stating what is expected of them, letting it be known that they are available to discuss anything with the students, and clearly outlining what will and will not be tolerated. I even had a teacher that created such a safe, respectful, and comfortable environment that students would even speak to her about things they might not even discuss with their own parents, as she could always provide and unbiased, outsider’s perspective on the situation. By creating this kind of environment, the students gradually began to create bonds with her as well as each other, creating an environment of not only safety and respect, but also of trust.