10 tips for a safe and respectful classroom

Bullying is a critical issue for schools, as it can lead to negative impacts for the person being bullied, bystanders, the person doing the bullying, and the school as a whole. Creating school environments where everyone feels safe, supported and respected is essential in reducing bullying in schools.

Read below for our ten simple and easy to implement tips to develop safe and respectful classroom environments.

Download the PDF resource here.

1. Let all your students know that you respect and care about them.

Try it: Start a conversation with a student in your class whom you don’t know well.

2. Set up a classroom culture of inclusion and respect.

Try it: Reach out to a student in your class who appears withdrawn or doesn’t seem to be included in classmate’s friendship groups.

3. Acknowledge students who demonstrate kindness, respect and thoughtfulness.

Try it: Identify and acknowledge a student when you notice they are using kindness, respect and thoughtfulness in the classroom.

4. Use positive approaches when educating students about acceptable and unacceptable behaviours.

Try it: Provide one-on-one feedback to your students, instead of reprimanding them in front of their classmates for unacceptable behaviour.

5. Encourage your students to practise using social and emotional skills in the classroom.

Try it: Give your students opportunities to practise using ReachOut Breathe in class to help them manage their emotions.

6. Work with students to develop their classroom expectations.

Try it: Develop with your students a list of behaviours they’d like to see in their class.

7. Provide learning opportunities that encourage cooperation, cohesion and compassion among students.

Try it: Use one activity from Wellbeing Fives to increase student wellbeing.

8. Model the positive behaviours you would like to see in your classroom.

Try it: Demonstrate a random act of kindness.

9. Provide an opportunity for students to take responsibility for their learning.

Try it: Give your students a chance to develop a group solution to a school-related concern they have.

10. Provide an opportunity for students to recognise and acknowledge a classmate’s strengths.

Try it: Ask students to acknowledge and name one strength they see in a classmate.