"How do I get young people to respect me?"
That is a question that many of my teaching peers ask me. And they are often surprised by my answer.
"You cannot force people to respect you," I would often reply. Up till today, I have no idea why this statement is so controversial.
The reality is that, while we can force people to act as if they are respectful, actual respect is a choice. In other words, if we live a life that is edifying and admirable, it would be natural for students to respect us.
Youths seek a sense of purpose and hence a model to look up too. As teachers, we have a responsibility to be their role model.
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