Introduction:
Classrooms are extremely busy places, where the demands of
students, administration, curriculum, accountability, and countless other daily
realities pull the educator in multiple directions simultaneously. In such an atmosphere,
it is easy to understand how classroom teachers are often just trying to keep
their heads above water as students move in and out of the classroom. Yet, it
is in this atmosphere that educators have a wonderful opportunity to directly
impact their environment, the lives or their students, and the achievement
levels of their students (Allday
& Pakurar, 2007).
What is the key to such dramatic changes and impacts to the
learning atmosphere? Quite simply that the teacher takes the time to
appropriately greet each student as they enter their classroom. Experience has
taught me over time, and research would support that contention that taking the
time to warmly and personally greet a student as they enter the learning
environment has wide ranging benefits that more than make up for the time
needed to do so.
The Importance
& Elements of Greeting:
First, greeting another person establishes or renews the
relationship between two individuals. Personal contact is made between two
individuals and communication begins. Such connection directly set the tone for
what follows (Phro, 2013). From
personal experience, when I take the time to meet my students at the door, and
make that first connection, I see a dramatic change in their affect. Rather
than drifting in unnoticed into the room, perhaps sad or troubled, maybe
uninspired or tired. I have instead let them know, that I personally am glad
that they are part of the learning community that day, and that I am very aware
of their presence in my room.
 joy105.com
Just greeting a student at the door is not enough. There are
several key elements that make for an effective greeting. First, focus on the
individual for that moment. Don’t worry about the problems of the previous day,
don’t focus on the lesson ahead, or the tasks that you have for them. Rather,
simply let them know that you are glad that it is them who is entering your
room at that moment. Greetings should meet the learner at their point of need. They
should be warm and positive, but if a student is troubled, or down, such a
greeting might be inappropriate. Instead, greeting these students with a more
subdued, if no less sincere greeting might be appropriate. Next, make sure to
smile and show them through your body language and eye contact that they are
welcomed. Use names and personalize greetings with information, questions,
small talk that speak to their interests, passions, etc. Most of all be
genuine. Find something to celebrate about each student, especially those who
might be the most challenging to celebrate (Needleman, 2008; Retail
Wise USA, 2014; Wilhelm,
n.d.).
 teacherhacks.net
When the greetings have concluded, students should enter an
environment which immediately engages them. There should be a transition
activity or prompt in place that serves multiple purposes. It should engage
them immediately in the lesson/topic of the day. This will set the tone for a
productive and engaging learning experience. It will also establish the
expectation that focus and productivity is valued and expected in the
classroom. Such an activity will also eliminate potential down time when so many problems begin. Such
practices of course take time and practice to establish the expectations and
routine. Once established though students will naturally expect to engage when
entering the classroom. When such routines are established and practiced the
teacher is freed to attend to other needs in the classroom which must be
addressed, while the students are engaged in preparations for the lesson and
work to come (Allday & Pakurar,
2007; Needleman, M., 2008).
YouTube link...90-second Greeting Rule
Conclusion:
For classroom teachers to engage in such greeting routines, it take time and practice to build capacity. First, teachers must take the
time to be prepared before the students enter the classroom. None of this will
work if teachers are throwing together the lesson for the day in the moment.
Rushing around trying to gather needed supplies, or making copies while the
students are entering the learning environment creates a vacuum which students of all ages will happily fill as they see fit. In
addition, teachers must mindfully put themselves in the place where they move
to engage students even at those times when they might not have the emotional
or physical capacity to do so. Students feed off of their environment, and
unhappy or distracted teachers send clear, if unintended messages to students
that seldom lead to positive results.
Greeting students seems like such a little thing in the course of a day.
Yet, people are social beings who need relationship and reflect the
environments in which they operate. Taking the time, and expending the capital
needed to proactively and mindfully prepare the classroom greeting and transition processes pays huge rewards on numerous fronts.
Students who feel welcomed, valued, and engaged will respond in kind, and be
more likely to achieve academically. Educators who invest in this simple
practice will reap the benefits of such best practices, those who don’t…
Well that’s fodder for another article.
References
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Saturday, March 25, 2017
You Had Me at Hello - The Importance of Greeting to a Relationship
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