In my class, if there is a put down, you have to give two put ups! It is never okay to put-down somebody. All students are held accountable. It is always a good idea to practice the contracts. Students have to understand, too, that everyone makes mistakes, but own it.

In our Spanish class, we use these techniques through story asking so that students can recall the information in the target language. By placing students in different positions or using gestures or just rewinding the story a little bit, it triggers the brain to retrieve information.

Great ideas to model to students while creating a classroom contract to see if students can come up with ways they want to be treated in the class. These examples would be a what if....scenario. Then students could pinpoint that it is important for all students to participate. Keep the contract as a reminder when someone slips up.

I agree that the number one thing as a teacher that I must do is build relationships. Without a child's heart, you will never have their head. Education has evolved. Students have changed. Meet students where they are.