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Free materials available from‘Respect Month’ group
October is “Respect Month,” a time for adults with influence over children to talk to them about respect.
The Respect Month Committee suggests ways teachers can emphasize areas in different subjects that deal with respect.
Since most youngsters seek respect, this may help students better relate to and master subjects covered on MEAP tests.
Much of the violence we see from students represents
crimes related to respect—youngsters who feel
they have been denied respect and use violence to get
it back, according to Ron Seigel of the Respect Month
Committee.
What complicates the situation is young people often seek respect by taking it away from others, Seigel said. Boys often see aggressiveness—inflicting pain or humiliation on others—as part of masculinity and their identity.
School employees must help both boys and girls to find their identities in ways that will help protect the community, Seigel said.
“As teachers, we must also show respect for kids ourselves,” he said. “One way of doing this is by relating the subjects we teach them to what they find meaningful.”
For free materials on respect, telephone 313/866-1970 or write to Respect Month Committee, PO Box 31040, Detroit, MI 48203.