to not want to shake hands with all my students every lesson

[DrSeuss]

New directive from on high at the school where I teach. As of next September, all staff must greet staff at the door (most, including me, do this already) and offer a handshake, fist bump or high five to each child.

I don't really want to and can see so many pitfalls.

1. Some of my students have ASD. Social interaction for them is difficult at the best of times.
2. A couple are survivors of abuse. Touch is a major issue for them.
3. At least a quarter are Muslims. Touch between adults and children past the age of puberty is a major issue. I have no wish to give offence and am more than happy to respect their faith.
4. Bodily autonomy. Why/how do I compel them to shake my hand?
5. quite a few will just see it as another reason to be difficult or play the clown. I expect numerous "near misses" which they will find hilarious even if I refuse to react.
6. DD, aged 15, thinks it's ridiculous. She's fairly average. If she hates it, they probably all will.
7. I know where their hands go and suspect how little they are washed! What am I supposed to do, shake thirty hands then use hand sanitiser in front of them? How will that "foster good relationships"?

As I say, this is for all staff, it is a directive from SLT and I don't see how I can just ignore it. They have form for actively watching to see if such directives are followed. Any ideas appreciated, thanks!

And it all just contributes to the growing sense among students that the adults are more confined by the rules than they are. Cue complaints: “Mrs X didn’t shake my hand this morning AND she said I shouldn’t have been talking when she was, but I was bored and that's her fault, isn’t it? When she changes, I’ll change, won’t I?”

I think in theory it's a great idea- for most students. I think there has to be student choice here though and they gave to feel that it is ok to not touch but that they greet in a way that is comfortable for them e.g. a thumbs up or even a thumbs up or high five card for sat students with asc. For lots of students I work with the only human touch they've had has been abusive and touching a trusted adult in a non confrontational, even playful way can be really effective at making them feel valued and changing their perception of adults. It can also be effective in teacher-student relationships and building rapport. If it were me I would embrace it and give it a go before dismissing it.

They do this at my dc school

Ridiculous 🤦🏻‍♀️

What the fuck happened to the bodily autonomy of the children?! The staff too, but what muppet would think enforced touching between adults and kids is a good idea?!

I think there has to be student choice here though and they gave to feel that it is ok to not touch but that they greet in a way that is comfortable for them
There should be choice for all and if any member of the group doesn't want physical contact then it shouldn't happen, staff included.

I have to admit, a friendly hello at the door and a good morning is quick, easy, friendly and means I can get on with teaching.

Paul Dix spouts dangerous, damaging nonsense at a profession already in crisis.

If my school were to buy into Pivot (and they won’t fork out the money, but I can tell SLT are lapping up his ideas already), I would hand in my notice.

I wouldn’t touch children - let alone hug or do a ‘happy dance’ - at the door. I greet them individually already but with no physical contact. It’s inappropriate, it’s uncomfortable and is totally unnecessary.

There is a recruitment and retention crisis. You could walk into another job. I am absolutely serious that if my school were to suggest this, my resignation letter would be in the same day and I would seek a school with a zero tolerance/no excuses ethos just in order to ensure that Dix wouldn’t be brought in at any stage!

There most definitely should be a no touch option. And what about your boundaries and choice of who can touch you? This is not part of the job!

I'd be looking for a new job if I was stuck with leadership that bought into the Dix stuff that heavily.

I totally get 'greet them at the door' as a good strategy as often as you can....but that can be just as much the "is it raining?" banal shit that most people do most of the time anyway. That handshake business is no good for anyone.

And what about your boundaries and choice of who can touch you?

Indeed. And particularly given the sexual harassment, upskirting, sexualised abuse and actual assaults that go on in secondary classrooms in these ludicrous times where there seems to be no way a school can actually exclude a pupil. Bonkers.

Also heartened to find Mumsnet broadly feels the same way about Pivotal as I do 🙂. I laughed a lot when that petition only got a few hundred signatures.
I'm not quite a no excuses person either but I know which is closer to what goes on in my classroom and generally we all seem to manage to enjoy ourselves to a point AND learn what we need to.

Reminded me of this - imagine doing it 6 or 7 times a day, what a complete and utter waste of time.

We also follow this same behaviour policy in our school and have done for a few years. The majority of staff do not shake hands but we do stand at the door to greet the pupils as they enter the classroom. I like the greeting but agree that shaking hands can be extremely uncomfortable and can actually make relationships more awkward. On the whole we have found that many of the strategies have actually had very little impact on behaviour anyway.

The place I used to work tried introducing this.

It was a ridiculous idea that lasted all.if about 5 mins!

Hopefully, it will be as short lived in your school

YANBU. I've read the Paul Dix stuff. I stand at the door and greet each child by name every morning. Maybe asking "how was the gymnastics competition last night?" or "is your cough better today?" if there's something in particular I remember. I like it, it sets the tone and is a daily chance to remind them that I care about them and am listening. I'm primary though, so that's once a day. I can't imagine doing that for multiple lessons a day. Some colleagues high five/cuddle/do a dance with each child. I can't be fucked with that and also the number of them I've seen strut out the loo without washing their hands makes all that a bit off-putting.

Is this another to add to the list of Emperor's New Clothes? Brain Gym; Learning Styles; Starters,Middle, Plenaries; blah blah nonsense which teachers of many years' experience have been subjected to by starry-eyed SMTs.

I sometimes think the teaching profession contains some of the most gullible people on the planet. Politely decline,OP, or ask for some actual evidence that this will enhance your lesson and their learning,especially as it'll take up more time.

You don’t have to shake hands! You can high five, wave, or just smile, or just say hello - whatever feels comfortable for both you and the student - it’s the greetings that are important. It’s made a big difference to the way I work

It's a far cry from my school days, when we all had to stand as the teacher entered the room and couldn't sit till we were told to.

I think both versions are ridiculous.
Just get on with teaching and leave the odd theories behind. Different things work for different people, why can't schools just let the teachers teach.

Good morning class
Good morning, Miss

What’s wrong with that? Ok so some of the America’s videos on YouTube were rather cute but who had the time?

I'm a teacher and would I fuck do this. A thumbs up at a push but not physical contact. Full. Stop.

Heh heh heh - the ‘thumbs up’ is a rude sign in some places. It would only be a matter of time before someone with have The Rage at you found that.

I would've hated this as a kid or teenager.

If your Muslim colleague has been shouted down I would suggest your union. Why should you have to make compulsory physical contact like this. Plus there have been myriad good reasons about infection control, abuse victims, disability, religion. Children might not feel confident to say they didn't want to be touched and I dont think they should be put in that position.

I hate this as an adult! Don’t work in education, but have been on work conferences where the leadership team greet every person going in and you end up running the gauntlet of all of them wanting to shake your hand or high five you. Supposed to make us feel valued and raise the energy of the room, but it’s dreadful, insincere bollocks.

We do it in primary and the kids love it. Options are hug, high five, fist bump, handshake, wave. I understand secondary are very different though!

My son shakes his teachers hand (and rest of class do) when they leave at the end of day. He is at private school. I guess if hold had an issue the parent would raise it

Ugh. This happened at my old school

The students hated it, and I hated it. It was such an awkward interaction.

Also, I got horrendously ill after a few weeks, the most ill I've been in about 10 years at least. The Dr reckons it was all those germs. Obviously touching hands with 30 kids every hour isn't good for your immune system at first.

It seems to be becoming more commonplace though, I visit a few schools and more and more are starting to do it. Just no, no, no, no