Most of the teachers I met in my life were people who failed I'm their carrier path. They just made a short course to be a teacher in primary school. Always sour that they couldn't do anything better.

The first teachers that I respected were in high school - 5 teachers chose it. They declined better-paid jobs to teach new generations. They did put a lot of effort, blood, and sweat into teaching. They were even doing unpaid after-school activities to help students.

At the University situation was very similar. Few professors decided to stay in university to share their passion with new generations. Always engaging with students about topics they teach. Encouraging and supporting them whenever they could.

But only a few teachers/professors earned this respect. For every 1 good teacher, there were 10 who shouldn't be allowed to teach. Here teachers are extremely underpaid and no one wants to teach. So you either become a teacher because you are underqualified to do anything else or because of a burning passion. (It's a bit different at university as professors are quite well paid and subjects are more challenging. So it's more like 2 good for 10 bad)

My point is, that you don't earn respect for being a teacher. You earn respect for what kind of teacher you are. All those teachers I respect, earned their respect in front of the whole class. They were a teacher who was able to keep the class focused on the subject without raising their voice or threatening.