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?

Piggy by "Individuality" I just meant an acknowledgement that teachers are humans... and that the kids are individuals, not just a group. I can imagine that taking a moment at the beginning of a class to say hello to each person could create a feeling of some sort of relationship between the teacher and each student. Perhaps this is a kind of formality, but to me it demonstrates a sort of equality between student and teacher (as well as perhaps a moment of ritualistic formality), unlike the standing when a teacher comes into the room which as affected by some British schools. I imagine that handshaking is more common in European schools as a physical greeting is also more common in regular life. Grownups often shake kids' hands and 2 or 3 kisses between acquaintances are still very common in much of Europe.

I know that parts of the US can be formal, though I don't know anyone who does the Sir and Ma'am thing- the only time I have heard that was in UK schools. Everyone I know in the US is far more informal with kids than people over here, but I have only lived in NYC, Boston, and San Francisco... I was reacting to the video of the very informal cool teacher...

My in laws live in Alabama and they all 'sir and 'ma'am' merrily! And this is in family relationships, shops etc as much as school.

I think saying hello is fine, but again I wouldn't do that to every single child (or even say goodbye to every single one) . it loses its sincerity a bit if we aren't careful.

But I do think this conversation has usefully opened up the idea of culture and cultural differences, as well as gender differences, with regards to handshaking.

Perhaps we are too cynical sometimes in the UK, but one person's 'cool' teacher is another person's 'loser' or - their favourite 'try hard'.

Yes Alabama is another world, I guess.

Just as foreign to a New Yorker as it is to a Londoner...

I suppose so but my actual relatives are new Yorkers/ Long Island. Connecticut/ Philly and my male cousins definitely say sir to their father...

When Miriam Margolyes went across middle America she was struck by how formal they were.

Weird! I have never encountered this. Grew up in NYC, and have never heard anyone address their father as sir in my life. I also don't know any Republicans though, or gun owners.

I can only imagine an ironic "Sir", in the manner of Stephen Colbert...

Some problems with the handshake initiative may be encountered if there are Muslim students/teachers in the school. There have been some cases in other European countries where Muslim male students have refused to shake hands with a female teacher on religious grounds.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-36382596

So the handshake idea might introduce unanticipated cultural tensions, quite apart from the drawbacks already mentioned.

Are you implying my family are Republicans The Horror!

No no, sorry!!!
I just meant that there are lots of people in America who apparently exist, but whom I have never met, including people who say sir, and people who vote in incomprehensible ways; I didn't mean to imply that those groups are correlated in any way.

Oh phew. You are forgiven

although obviously the ones in Alabama voted Trump

Shhhhh...we will just agree not to mention it ...

Oh my goodness, we had a fourth grade (age 8-9) teacher who made us shake his hand every morning then before going home. He would sit at the classroom door with his legs spread wide and give us all a pervy half smile. Not recommended.

@Piggywaspushed Who'd have thought 'shaking hands' could turn teachers into successful consultants? There'll be CPD for walking along silent corridors next, or even Mark Plan Teach... Incredible!

p.s. the virus is giving me lots of time to catch up

It seems that way!

Well if there’s one good thing to come out of this global epidemic, it will be the end of those stupid videos of kids high-fiving their teachers.