2. Get to know your students’ names. And do it quickly. Calling students by their names (and with the right pronunciation) is the first way to show respect to your students. Period. Honestly, think about it — hearing someone call you by your name feels good. Period. *Nicknames can be both respectful and disrespectful — it’s always a good idea to get a person’s consent before calling them by a nickname.

[My new boss still doesn’t know my name — what I should be called — and it’s been a full school year. Not cool, man.]