Chapter 2: Respect, Liking, Trust, and Fairness

I found the coaching example from this chapter to be beneficial. There is an example given of a well liked coached who never pushed his team, yet in the long run, the team was highly unsuccessful. While the players greatly enjoyed their ability to manipulate the coach, their constant loses earned the coach no respect. When they were given a new coach, they thoroughly disliked him as he forced the team to push themselves, yet they gained a sense of respect for him in the long run when they realized the effects of working harder. This was a great example as students will admit that respect is a more important factor than enjoying the person.

While a teacher may wish for his students to like him as a person, in order to gain respect the primary focus must remain upon teaching the students in an effective manner. Both teachers and students must realize that learning must come first, and all else will fall into place in time. While students may not initially like their teachers, they will eventually grow to respect them and in theory like them as a person. I think this is extremely important to keep in mind as a new teacher just entering the field. Although it may at times be difficult to come to terms with students not "liking" me, this example will help me to remember that this must not be my primary concern and that if I am an effective teacher, the rest will follow in time.