How you do it
- Make sure your handshake is firm, not a dead fish grip. However, you don’t want to crush the other person’s hand.
- Make sure you don’t have food or grease on your hands. You want the person to rememberyou, not what you ate.
- If your hands are sweaty, give them a quick nonchalant wipe on your pants.
- When you offer your hand, look the person in the eye and smile.
from The Art of Manliness blog
http://artofmanliness.com/2008/01/28/how-to-give-an-impressive-handshake/
Our principal and counselor went to a training this summer which was to help us provide children a more powerful connection to their classroom and school. One of the simplest ideas they came away with was greeting the children at the doorway each morning with a handshake. We were asked to give it a try. Most teachers did not, they were concerned about yucky unclean hands and germs.
I, however, embraced this idea. Since the first day, I have met my children, welcomed them by name, looked them in the eye, and shook their hands. They have learned, some quickly and many with much modeling, to respond with a firm handshake, a return greeting (by name) and a look in the eye. They are now really quite expert at offering their hand and politely shaking.
Each morning I have, literally, a personal connection and a chance to be positive, inspiring, funny, sympathetic or whatever is needed. The children each have a chance to confide, share, laugh, etc. They look forward to this and if I cannot be at the door for some reason, they walk up to me ready to shake hands.
Today I am at home sick. I have the same running nose crud that has been going around my classroom. I realized that this is my third sick day this year, when typically I do not need to take any. I realized this connection yesterday morning when I said to my colleague across the hall that, perhaps, I shouldn’t shake hands this morning as I wouldn’t want to give them my germs. A light bulb went off in my head, as I realized where those germs had originated.
Do I want to stop shaking their hands? I don’t think so. We have indeed established a wonderful routine and a deeper connection. Will I want to continue this routine next year? I am not sure. But I do know this, I will be buying more hand sanitizer and walking down the hall to wash my hands more often!
You may enjoy these:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3l1iHfr39Ug
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Hand-Washing-Resources-and-Printables
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Song-Freebie-Wash-Your-Hands
Stay healthy, but stay connected to those kids!
Ann
I do this also. It’s essential to building a relationship and it also teaches cultural norms. When we had to switch classes during the day, I would do some playful ones, like whispering, “Shhhh, don’t wake the baby,” as they crossed threshold! They would tiptoe in. Or ask them to walk backward, hop, etc.
That sounds like a great idea!