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!

1forAll74

Have the authorities forgotten why children go to school.

Do you really need to ask. this shit show has been going on for at least 30 years.

This is crazy! They should let the children lead the level interaction. By all means the greeting at the door. But hand shaking? Thinking of some very awkward moments and the spread of germs

Sorry for responding before reading the whole thread but I can't hold it in any more.

People like Paul bloody Dix make me so angry. With his gimmicky fucking "solutions" that SLTs write into policy as quick fixes without understanding anything below the surface and then blame teachers when it goes wrong but actually those teachers had no proper support or any decent policy backing them up in the first place.

Yes, the school system in this country does need to change, but difficult and dangerous behaviour in the classroom will not be solved with seventeen varieties of handshake at the door and fecking "positive notes".

True inclusion is about giving each child what they need in order to be successful. Near-on impossible with school budgets the way they currently are. And effective behaviour management involves analysis of behaviour, anxiety and dependency. And then using that analysis to provide adequate differentiated provision for that child. With logical protective and educational consequences when inappropriate choices have been made (not just punishments for punishment's sake, otherwise the child learns nothing from the mistake and is given no incentive or ability to not make it again!). Often the children with the worst behaviour in schools have suffered trauma (please look up the ACEs study - US study originally but relevant - trauma informed practice, or even just p14-15 of the Mental Health and Behaviour in schools document to see a list of risk factors that can affect mental health and then impact behaviour).

Behaviour management definitely isn't one size fits all and it's not something you can sell to schools as a done and dusted package - do this magic thing and your children will behave themselves. And I say that as someone who schools pay to help them with their behaviour management.

Paul Dix and his ilk can fuck right off. Gives the rest of us who try to support and advise school staff with behaviour a bad name.

Fuck that shit!
To respect bodily autonomy you need to have a non touching option, for so many reasons.
And alcohol gel.
How is that hygienic with norovirus outbreaks?

Oh fuck no. I would have hated this as a child! ( this is making me go cold as an adult...)

Absolute nonsense and you have argued the case in a rational, well thought out way. To your list I would add time - personally I would prefer my child to be starting the lesson rather than hanging about while everyone participates in a greeting ritual. Having recently started work in a school I can certainly see the value of teachers standing at their door, greeting kids / hurrying them up a bit / policing the melee on the corridor. I guess some students might like it though, I realised today that one of ours was trying to high 5 me as he left an exam I’d been invigilating!

Completely mad! Ridiculous! Waste of time! Victor Meldrew voice I don't believe it! Who makes up these stupid rules?

If this is enforced, say you can't on the grounds that the hand sanitiser, used that often, causes bad skin reaction. Make them buy the hand sanitiser.

I'm sooooo glad I am not Teaching any more!

Bunsygirl, good manners are essential - but shaking hands is not the essence of good manners. I’m not sure how much it prepares you for adult life - in the 30 years since I entered adult life I have never shaken my colleagues by the hand after the interview stage of the relationship!

Fgs...ridiculous. What do your colleagues think?

One of my friend's kids who already can be very reluctant to come into school would be so freaked out by this and liable to just refuse to attend completely. It's taken them a good couple of years of me chatting gently to them to get a smile and a thumbs up from them - the child in question really does not do high fives and adults trying to insist on them as some kind of less intrusive "friendly" option bothers them greatly.

Plus eww at the germs! It'll bugger the attendance percentages nicely

Most students will cringe at this. I just asked my nine year old DD and she said “that’s stupid”. Some out of touch adult trying to be down with the kids and getting it so wrong must have thought this up.

Awful - hate how schools are in this day and age - compete joke. The teachers have to do so much ridiculous stuff before they can actually teach to compensate for the amount of bad behaviour there is.

SofiaAmes. Reminds me too of the School secretary combing each child's hair (Primary) before their photo. Same comb. I was aghast - said what about nits? Her "They don't get spread by a comb,"!!!

They do.....

Our school also bought into this particular training programme...

I found that most students were fine with the handshaking. Those that weren’t, I gave them the option of a ‘good morning/afternoon.’

Felt really weird at first and the kids were initially confused, but it soon became routine. I also keep hand sanitiser under my desk!

However, a greeting (verbal) at the door surely has the same effect!

Of course you should stand at the door to welcome students in. A simple welcome, come in etc should be fine. You could offer fist bumps to students who'd appreciate it, but a smile is great too.

Yanbu, that's ridiculous.

Yanbu. Take the stance of Pope Francis who appeared to refuse his ring being kissed.

In all seriousness, could you be arsed and could the kids be arsed.

Handshake is a grown up thing- dying out mind you. High five is just American as is fist bump.Cringe

You got a wristband for your pledge? I had to try to write mine on a scrap of ribbon with a crappy biro then attach it to my lanyard!

This was muted at my school earlier in this year. Pretty all staff said no. SLT knew it wouldn’t happen so settled on greeting at the door (which some did already). A good compromise. All happy and it works well.

DrSeuss we got both. A scrap of ribbon and a rubber wristband. Fuck’s sake. I’d have preferred pens and rulers for my class! I’d love to know how much all this has actually cost. We were actively encouraged to tweet during Paul Dix’s live webcast he did (by him) but luckily our SLT were having none of it.

What is the pledge?

Id write a formal letter to the head and governors explaining why you will not be doing this. Contact your union too. What about your body autonomy? They cant force you to make physical contact with pupils.

We each make our own special pledge which we wear around our necks. Yes really.

I would tell them you will not prostitute yourself and not should other staff. That you will not be committing physical assault on students (as it is unwanted physical contact).

Remind them that even medical professionals must always ask for permission to do anything, which they are allowed to refuse. That is because it is assault unless in an emergency life saving situation.

Also tell then that you will inform social services about this change as you are aware of abuse victims that this could /would cause emotional harm to.

I hope your pledge says “I will find a new job”