Shaking hands with students

[Stripeyblue]

Hi,

We’ve had a directive today that standing outside our rooms and greeting each student personally is not enough. We now need to shake the hand of every student.

SLG have basically said we have to do this and are dismissing arguments related to hygiene and staff and students being made to feel uncomfortable. It is to apparently foster good relationships with students.

It’s a inner city secondary school. SLG are panicking because a recent invited inspection (not ofsted) judged us as RI and that behaviour is a major issue. Our last Ofsted judged us as outstanding.

What do people think about this? Can they make this kind of directive?

I'm not even sure how shaking hands is part of adult life? I never shake hands with anybody!

What’s an SLG?

I am just imagining the response in our school if this were introduced!

God. Awful.

As a side note have you seen the video of an American teacher who has a special handshake/clap for every one of his pupils

Maybe try this and jazz it up a bit😂

The risk of RSI is real, not daft.
www.repetitive-straininjury.co.uk/news/politicians-rsi-shaking-hands/

I know a school where they have just introduced this. It must be the latest thing. I would personally hate it and a lot of the pupils would too.

That is totally ott.
I'm also a big believer in greeting every student personally as they arrive but physical contact? That's a step too far.
Do management stand on the door shaking the hands of all the staff as they arrive too?

Unless all the students then anti-bac they are all at the same risk as you from a hygiene point of view - especially student number 30. Yuk! Hopefully it will die a death like most daft initiatives,

Yes, it's one of those fads, thought up by an ex teacher, loosely based on Bill Rodgers' type thinking. Our SLT introduced some of his concepts but had the common sense to leave out the handshaking bit. We have been encouraged to greet them at the door but few people do, It's not the biggest issue with behaviour in our school and doesn't actually really suit our site layout either.

DS2's school had this lot in yesterday too so they are obviously making a mint.

Educations consultants. Humbug. quite like Ross McGill

Oh ffs. Education really has gone fucking mad, hasn't it?

Having been through the Paul Dix training and tried this it had a genuinely positive effect on my classes. Confusion to begin with, then a bit of moaning, then they just got on with it and thought it was fine. It also died a death after about 3 days, how likely is that for you?

And, call me old fashioned, but I find handshaking 'machismo' . When I was brought up, I was also taught (this was Scotland and v heavy on etiquette!0 that a 'lady' never stands to shake hands with a man. She should remain seated. So, I suggest you remain seated and stretch out your hand daintily. They may even kiss it.

On a serious side note, isn't handshaking for the first time you meet someone or a long time no see? Some blokes do shake hands / fist bump a lot (usually in the world of sport form whence this has been pinched) a lot but even they don't do it each and every time they meet someone.

True, kids may need to be taught manners, and how to shake hands is a life lesson but could it not be reserved for special assemblies etc?

I can't fully see the link to this and behaviour; yet to be convinced of that. Social manners, perhaps, if we want all and sundry to be corporate or sporting jocks.

I can imagine it died a death. Anything does once the novelty wears off and you realise you have met the people before...

Cabin crew don't shake hands when we enter planes!

Primary might not be so bad, but 7 lessons a day plus tutor time - potentially 200plus handshakes a day - what a waste of time!

headintheproverbial, secondary teachers teach up to 175 pupils PER DAY. Should I really be expected to shake 175 hands every day? Yes, it’s part of adult business relationships but it’s not part of every adult interaction with your colleagues. I ALWAYS greet my students with a big smile and ‘good morning’ etc but hand shaking is a different matter altogether!

Oh yes i forgot about tutor time! Possibly 200+ handshakes a day!

Hmm, maybe a high five would be a little better ✋🏻✋🏻

I hate, hate, HATE shaking hands and, if I can, I refuse to. I think asking teachers and students to do it is crazy. It’s time consuming and unhygienic.

Ugh. I also hate high fiving. I am not an American basketball player : far far too short for a start.

I can imagine a grotty group having great fun with this. Holding out their hand to shake, then grabbing it away, like when you try to confiscate something from them, licking their hand while they are lined up, handing you a crisp packet and saying ‘just put that in the bin for me miss’, just refusing to do it etc etc. No thanks.

piggy you are short?

Yes noble, why does this surprise you??

What is more amusing is that the students I teach also refuse to accept I am short and construct a height line up, and then declare I am indeed short. All this without shaking hands.

You clearly give off an aura of height, Piggy

I shall write that in my next job application.

My D'S playa basketball. They are big on "positive touches". When he first joined his club , the rest of the squad stood in a semi circle, and he had to go to every player, say "hi, I'm madonna'sds", they replied "hi madonna'sds", with a fist bump. He said it was excruciating.

I’m glad it’s not just me (and many of the staff at my school).

I think it probably will die a death. They really don’t have staff ‘buy in’ at all on this. Some of the stuff recommended by Dix, yes I’m all for, but the hand shaking is a step too far. Hand shaking isn’t part of my every day adult professional life and wasn’t even when I wasn’t a teacher. I’m not convinced of the link with behaviour too.

And noble you’ve just hit on many of the things I’ve heard today. Kids will spit on their hands before shaking hands with a teacher they don’t like, will pull their hands away, will just refuse. How this will foster good relationships, I have no idea.

It has to be a formal handshake by the way. No high fives or fist bumps allowed.

I’ve made my feelings known by feeding back via email and today I haven’t done the hand shaking. I feel very strongly that I shouldn’t have to and that the kids shouldn’t feel like they have to either.

What idiocy.

I'd like see SLT's response to: "I choose who I touch, not you."