If you want to be a fair teacher, then you have to make it clear that you respect the opinions of ideas of all of your students. If you only call on the same three students or dismiss the comments of a student who is struggling more than the rest, then you may develop a reputation of not being fair. If you don’t let students who are more shy or more problematic have a turn at speaking, then they’ll be discouraged from participating in your class, because they won’t feel that you’re treating them fairly.  Keep in mind that allowing a diverse range of opinions into your classroom also makes for a better learning experience for all students, even the ones who don’t contribute much. It’s not fair to let only a few of your favorite students express themselves. Practice calling on students who haven’t raised their hands and asking what they think. Though you should proceed with caution with students who are more reserved, setting this standard can make students feel more accountable in the classroom. You may think that you’re fair in the classroom, but when you take a step back, you may see that you don’t react fairly to every student. Ideally, you should be receptive to what every student has to say, pause to wait for an answer from every student, and give positive feedback and encouragement to all of your students. When you go home, ask yourself how you reacted to each student and see if there’s anything you could have done that was more fair. You can even ask another teacher to observe you to give you honest feedback. You may find that you’re spending twice as much time with some students and are neglecting others. Though some students do need more help than others, it’s only fair to give all students some of your time and attention. If you really want to be fair, then you have to learn to see the good in each and every student. You may have a student who does so poorly in the classroom that you may feel like all you can do is offer criticism, but you should work extra hard to find something to praise about that student, whether it’s his attention to detail or his ability to work well with others. If you want to be fair, then you have to show every student that he or she deserves nothing but the best.  Take the time to meet individually with students, and to let students who are struggling know that they have strengths, too. Praising students during class can make them feel better about themselves as long as you make a point of praising everyone at some point. However, putting down students in front of everyone can be harmful to a student’s self-esteem and is not fair behavior. Sometimes, it can be hard to grade fairly when you already have expectations for which students tend to do well and which always fall in the “C” range. Still, you should work on reading each paper as if you didn’t know who wrote it, and even implement grading rubrics so your grades aren’t based on your whims or a “feeling” you have, but on the student meeting or not meeting a set of criteria. Grading fairly is one of the most important aspects of being a fair teacher.  Try to spend about the same amount of time on each paper. Don’t give the students with stellar papers more time than the ones who could really use the feedback. Try not to pigeonhole students. A student who usually writes “B” papers is perfectly capable of getting an “A”, and you shouldn’t make him think he can’t improve by not recognizing a bigger effort. Every child is different and has different strengths and struggles. When you impose rules in your classroom and address different children, you should be aware of who they are as individuals while trying to be fair at the same time. Though it takes more work to get to know each and every one of your students as well as their parents, this extra step is what can help you be a fair and reasonable teacher.  For example, if one child genuinely forgot her homework at home for the first time ever while another is having the same problem for the fifth time, those students should not be treated equally. Though you can’t make excuses for people, when your students act out, try to look for the causes of their behavior. Maybe you know that one of them is struggling with his or her parents’ divorce and is acting out because of it; this knowledge can help you work with the child to ensure his success. Though it can be hard not to play favorites when you’re a teacher, you have to work on eliminating as much of your bias as you can when it comes to being a leader in the classroom. Even if one student works hard and treats you very well, you can’t let yourself shower praise on that student while neglecting other students that need your attention. If you have a problem student, you should talk to him or her individually, but you can’t let yourself be mean to the student in the classroom.  If you play favorites, then you’ll develop a reputation for not treating students fairly, and they’ll lose respect for you. The children whom you don’t favor may feel discouraged from trying in your classroom, since they’ll feel like they just can’t win.
أعطِ لكل طالب حقه في الحديث. كن حذرًا من ردود فعلك مع كل طالب. جد شيئًا تثني به على الجميع. تأكد من توزيع الدرجات بإنصاف. اِعلم أن معاملة طلابك بشكل عادل لا تعني أن تعاملهم بمساواة. تجنب تفضيل طالب على غيره.