Faculty/Staff Information

Faculty/Staff,

Research shows that the most powerful tool for helping students to reach their full potential is securing "engagement" from the faculty/staff in regard to how the school operates - and our hope is that this presentation will help to secure that "engagement."

Right off of the bat we would like to request your mental participation. Please imagine that you are just entering an auditorium where a presentation about the possibility of your school becoming a School of Respect is about to begin. Here we go!

The lights are low and loud pump-up music is playing as you walk in slowly and sit down. You are startled when the presenter struts into the room dressed as a knight and you hear a ram's horn signaling the start of the presentation.

Presenter: In order to get real time feedback about my presentation so that I can do the best possible job communicating to you and to be able to make adjustments on the fly as needed, last night I secretly planted microscopic sensors all around the room, - these sensors are the latest most sophisticated electronic technology available - they're really amazing because pick up thoughts of people in the audience - so there's absolutely no need to say anything.

Presenter: This may seem hard to believe, but here's how they work. The sensors pick up thoughts in the room, they are sent wirelessly to the super computer located in the trunk of my car, they are screened for things that we can't say at school, and then a transmission is sent wirelessly to the screen in front of us for all to see.

Presenter: You'll know when a transmission is coming through because you'll hear a sound, the slide on the screen will spin, and then words will appear on the screen.

Presenter: Don't believe me? (turn and look at screen) It looks like the first transmission is coming through.

*Spinning Slide: This is probably going to be boring . . .

Presenter: Wow, this could be a tough crowd, I haven't even really started.

*Spinning Slide: Why are you wasting our time?

Presenter: Wow, that was a bit rough. I'm here to talk to you about the possibility of your school becoming a School of Respect.

*Spinning Slide: Oh no! Not another program! We don't need any more programs!

Presenter: Thanks for that thought - but a School of Respect is not a program - it is a school whose entire operation is built upon the foundation of respect. In other words, respect is the framework that undergirds everything that is done in the school. (The School of Respect definition of respect is: "Showing that someone or something is important by what you say or do.")

All of you will have a very important role to play if your school decides to become a School of Respect. That role is to model, teach, encourage, and positively reinforce respect. If everyone in the school plays their role well, you will help your students to grow toward their full potential because they will have stronger respect for their job (which right now is to be a student), others, and themselves.

*Spinning Slide: Oh no! . . . more work for us to do!

Presenter: Yes, it will be more work, but the good news is that most of your role in a School of Respect includes a lot things that you are already doing - with the addition of a few words.

For example, you already go over many expectations with your students. Specifically, you already share with your students what you expect from them as a student. We will be asking all of you to share the same expectations and include something at the end like, "This is how you respect your job - which right now is to be a student."

You already share with your students your expectations of how they will treat you and how they will treat each other. We will be asking all of you to share the same information and include the words like, "This is how you respect others."

You already share with your students about how a person respects themselves by taking care of themselves and by making good choices. We will be asking you to share the same information and include words like, "This is how you respect yourself."

*Spinning Slide: To be honest, I only respect students who respect me!

Presenter: I understand how you feel. But the question is: Does this attitude help your students learn how to have stronger respect for others? Please keep in mind that when a student is being disrespectful, what they're really saying behind their words is "I need help." They need help because being disrespectful isn't going to make it more likely that they will reach their full potential.

Presenter: So, our job as educators is to find a way to help them get their behavior under control in a positive manner. If we are disrespectful to a student who has been disrespectful to us, what are we modeling? We're modeling that it's OK to be disrespectful to someone who is disrespectful to us. Do we really want to model something that could one day result in the student doing the same thing to someone else outside of school and possibly getting themselves seriously hurt?

Presenter: It's not easy, but we're asking you to dig down deep inside and be respectful to a student who is being disrespectful to you. In other words, we are asking you to use the same interpersonal tools that are taught to students in a School of Respect such as My Armor, My Shield, and My Anger Barrel. (Please check out the links to these videos on the "Respect Club Sample Videos" page of this website to learn more about these tools.)

And finally, we are asking you to do whatever you can in a positive way to not allow your students to be disrespectful to each other. For example, let's say that your class laughs at something someone says or does. We suggest that you stop the class and say firmly but calmly something like, "Whoa, please remember that we don't laugh at other people in this class, that's not respectful. I'm not going to put up with that." After saying this, possibly you could have a brief discussion with the class about why we don't laugh at people. You could ask the class a question like, "Why is it disrespectful to laugh at other people?" or "How do people feel when they are laughed at?" to start the discussion.

*Spinning Slide: "What's in it for me as a faculty/staff member if I model, teach, encourage, and positively reinforce respect?"

Presenter: A great question. Please close your eyes for two minutes and imagine a few things. Everyone's eyes closed? - noo peeking! First of all, please imagine what would school be like if the students see the faculty/staff consistently modeling respect, we teach them the specifics of how to respect their job, others, and themselves - and we teach them how respect will make it more likely that they will be successful?

Next, please imagine what school would be like if all of the students and the faculty/staff had respect for their job, others and themselves. How would teachers talk to other teachers? How would parents be greeted when they come into the office? How would teachers talk to students? How would students talk to teachers? How would students talk to each other? How much effort would students give on their schoolwork and their homework?

And finally, please imagine that students hear about the importance of respect everywhere - on the bus, in the cafeteria, at specials, in class, in the principal's office, during after school activities, etc. They hear comments from faculty/staff like, "Wow, that was respectful when you helped Sarah pick up her lunch after she dropped it.", "It wasn't easy to be respectful in that situation - you can be proud of yourself.", etc.

Please really think about what would be different so that your thoughts can be picked up by the sensors. Please be sure to keep your eyes closed and I'll read off your thoughts as they appear on the screen. Here's some thoughts coming in:

*Spinning Slide: I would spend less time dealing with behavior problems and more time teaching

*Spinning Slide: My students would work harder

*Spinning Slide: My students would achieve at a higher level

*Spinning Slide: Every person, including me, would feel that they are valued

*Spinning Slide: School would be a more enjoyable place to learn and work

*Spinning Slide: Everyone in the school would realize how important respect is

Presenter: Great thoughts! Please open your eyes.

Presenter: I hope that this presentation has helped to give you a clearer picture of what a School of Respect is and what it could do for your students.

Presenter: Thanks for coming!