Civility in the Classroom
There are multiple ways civility is represented in the classroom! General classroom courtesy involves showing up on time, valuing inclusiveness, being kind, promoting respect for diversity, and encouraging new perspectives. Although the list is long, it is easy to maintain healthy and civil behavior once you understand the importance behind it.
When following these expectations, it helps create a safe and understanding environment for everyone involved. Simply being kind can take a bit more effort than exerting rude or dismissive behavior, but in the long run, it leads the path to enhancing the learning process and encourages positive relationships. The classroom is where students learn basic manners and professionalism. As adults entering the workforce, having etiquette is important.
Achieving a decent education is a privilege that many people don’t have, so academic success is important when the opportunity presents itself. Taking advantage of this privilege and practicing civility in the classroom can go a long way, but it is crucial to understand how incivility can negatively affect the success of both students and instructors.
A hostile classroom environment and uncivilized behavior can lead to major discomfort and disinterest in being productive and successful. When civility is absent in the classroom, so is the respect of knowledge - which is the whole point of gaining an education. This behavior can also lead to a lack of information retention and, in general, an overall inefficient learning space.
Understanding the importance of practicing civility in the classroom is just the start to creating great leaders and role models.
