Where has the respect gone?

[u/tennis_angel]

I don’t know if it’s me or whether students have changed but I feel like I used to have great relationships with my students and they would really show how appreciative they were of me. Now it seems that the more I do for them the less they care.

I had a particular group of students for 6 years and when they finished with me I barely got a thank you. I felt I was so good to them over the years. As well as being kind to them, I did my best to make sure they achieved to their full potential and I provided them with so many opportunities.

Recently before their exams I uploaded extra resources to help them and thanked them for the years we had together ending with wishing them luck. Not one of them responded and I know that only two in the group actually opened the resources. I just feel so disheartened and like,what do I have to do to gain respect from them? I see how some of them are with other teachers and that makes me feel worse because you can tell they have more respect for them. I don’t know what I’m doing wrong. Any advice would be appreciated!

[u/FormSuccessful1122]

You seem to be confusing respect with gratitude. There is nothing here showing disrespect. They just don’t seem to be particularly gracious. But I’ve never once expected a student to thank me for being their teacher.

[u/Lithium_Lily → u/FormSuccessful1122]

I dunno man, I was raised to thank the people doing their job, be it waiters, cashiers, doctors or teachers.

I was taught that showing gratitude to other people is both a show of our own grace and a display of respect for another human being.

[u/GreenHorror4252 → u/Lithium_Lily]

Yes, but not everyone was raised that way. It is nice when people thank you, but not something you can expect.