If you want to smile today: Have you seen this video of North Carolina English teacher Barry White Jr., who created personalized handshakes with all the fifth-grade students? They do them every morning as they walk into class. How cool is that? I love the shoulder wiggle halfway through.
P.S. Upstairs neighbors, and running into an ex.
Thank You to ALL Public School Teachers …. For My Teachers of public school …… Never mind this Man is in one of the toughest job’s there is…..
He remembers Each child’s specific hand clap introduction to class …….
This they will never forget and will pass on thru there lives to treat others with some form of dignity….. Go Teacher.. Thank You
Thanks for the smile. Love how this teacher made everychild feel special in his class. Kids are motivated to work hard when they know a teacher cares!
this is great relationship activity
This made me smile – love it so much! Showing my fourth grader as soon as he’s off the bus :)
I am a teacher and I hadn’t taken the time this week to check this video out until today. I just finished two hours of 5th grade chorus (70 kids at a time!) and I was feeling super wiped and ineffective…this video just pumped me up. Thanks for the refresher, Jo!
Sarah
This guy is going to find “married” googled next to his name a zillion times in the coming week. What a man!
We need more teachers like that…
Thanks so much for sharing this. My 3 children have gone back to school this week (in Perth, Australia) so this is pertinent. What a connection this teacher has with these kids. It’s so heartwarming to watch. We need more good news right now.
I love this. Watching all their faces before & after their turn comes makes you realize what a great focusing activity this is. When you think back to elementary school, how many times did you go in distracted, daydreaming, distressed about something or other, or otherwise not focused on learning? This is a great, kinetic little ritual to get students in “school mode” as well as brighten their day.
Love it! I wonder if the kids always line up in the same order…or if they switch around sometimes to really make his brain work!
Ahhh, I love this blog. I hope you keep doing what you do Jo. Thanks for the smile!
I love this!!!!
you know its been a long week (month) when a handshake youtube makes you cry. Thanks for sharing. XOXO
It made me cry too!!!
I’m a proud public school teacher and seeing people share and celebrate teacher excellence in the name of student engagement is awesome! Thank you for spreading the good stuff. This man is giving it his all and there is really no other way to do this job right.
Truly :)
Pandering. Lowering the bar. What happened to educational standards? Nothing worse than authority figures abandoning their rightful role to appease those who truly need guidance and education.
What do you know about this man’s teaching?
People (kids) need to learn that learning can be fun and they have the power to make that happen. There is nothing wrong with kids having fun at school in a respectful and inclusive way! Please, expand your perspective to be more inclusive of cultural differences. This IS a melting pot.
How do you know his educational standards are low? What are the educational standards of a handshake? I have worked as a public school teacher for years and I can’t say I’ve ever seen handshake or welcome-to-my-class behavior listed in a curriculum guide or Program of Studies. Maybe you should stick to what you know and allow this teacher to grow and blossom along with his kids. He looks like he’s doing an incredible job without your input.
This seems like a short-sighted, angry and frankly condescending reaction that I cannot help but be surprised by. Reflect for a moment: Do you not ever feel more confident, engaged or eager to learn when you like or admire your teacher or instructor? This doesn’t have to be contained to a elementary school room—it can be any skill you’ve mastered or attempted in your lifetime. Personally, when I connect with a teacher, I find myself more inspired to apply myself and more confident in my abilities. Respecting their authority can still go hand in hand. As a personal anecdote, my mother takes her therapy certified Great Dane to low performing schools several times a week to sit one-on-one with children who read below their grade level. 20 short minutes of one-on-one reading, with the fun and novelty of reading to a large dog, makes it something they look forward to and rather than feeling singled out by, and these children’s reading comprehension levels and testing scores have raised 20-30%. I would argue it’s not just the instruction that gets these results, but the feeling of being seen and considered individually. It’s worth considering that not everyone responds to rote memorization and cowering under an authority figure; finding ways to engage these children in more personal ways is not lowering our system’s educational standards, but surpassing them.
Wait, what? This man is very clearly a role model to these kids and has taken the time to show them they MATTER. That’s an incredible bar to set and a great foundation for whatever educational material comes at those kids next. Cheers to this teacher and may more follow his lead!
Abandoning his role? He is embracing his role as a motivator and positive role model, by making his students feel included, welcome and happy. With this positive mindset in a classroom, his students will be so much more switched on to learning. We’ve just started our school year in Australia, and all my colleagues are talking about this wonderful man, inspiring us to make each of our kids feel as included. Thank you for highlighting positives in education!
Thank you. I needed this! It’s been a tough couple of weeks…
Right, Olga? This video actually made me tear up! I’m tired, worn out, and feeling like the world is a bum place…and then this guy, this guy! Going into my teaching job tomorrow feeling a little more inspired. :)
Made my day! What an inspiring teacher! Thanks for sharing :)
YES to teachers like this!! Awesome!!
When Anton was two, he would always ask me...
Including a sexy treat and a bookstore idea.
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