Feel welcome

My experience.

Handshaking as welcome.

I was at a topsports school in Helsinki where I first saw a teacher who, upon entering the room, shook hands with the students and welcomed them. At the end of class he stood at the door again, shook hands and wished everyone a good day. This "ritual" made me think and especially the effect this had; a relaxed atmosphere from the short, personal contact. Once back in my school I started to do this with my own group as well. The students start the day at nine o'clock with me in their coach group and also end there at half past three. So upon entering at 9 and leaving the classroom at 3:30, the students received a hand from me. Soon the students made it their own ritual with me, for instance one gave a box, another a shoulder and/or a hug. All with the words "good morning" - "nice day" or similar. It was a nice moment to start the day and because of the short contact I often found out how the student looked at that moment. After a few months, a colleague spoke to me and said that at first when she saw me doing this, she thought it was hugely exaggerated. Yet she tried it herself and now does this ritual every school day with her students. Adding from her was that it is free and costs nothing.

Note: I told my youngest son and also that sometimes during the handshake as an "extra", I put my left hand on top of both hands. He told me that in many cultures this had the meaning that you showed that you are the superior of the other. This was obviously not my intention and from that time on I abolished my "extra hand".

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