The Hello Zone
This topic also referrs back to the 'First Impression Zone. Make it a habit to always smile, and speak to a student when passing, even if they do not speak back. students will always remember you and speak whenever the opportunity arrises.
Eric,
Simple and effective. Thanks for sharing this.
Jeffrey Schillinger
I always say hello in the hallways, even to students I do not know. Many times I have welcomed a new student into my class and felt like I knew them from somewhere before. When I ask, "Don't I know you from somewhere?" I will get a, "you said hi to me in the hallway a few months ago." It's a great way to make a few students more comfortable when they start my class.
Great post, Sheila.
Paying attention to them is the first step success.
It is much harder for a student to "just disappear" when he or she knows that there are people at the school who notice if they are msssing and by their actions show they care about them. Many of our students say when that the time they come to school is often the best part of their day. That is what makes it worth the extra effort to try to get to know their name and something about them.
I once ran a small experiment on this, as I walked around with a big smile on my face and most people greeted me with a hello or somthing plesent.Then I went around with a mad or mean face on and most people would ignore or avoid me and not speak. I did this around total strangers and I find myself at times responding in the same way. Just being aware of this helps me to keep on the smile face.
I meet with a lot os students - I meet with incoming students 1-0n-1 - I let them know a little about myself and my background and that I sat in a class just as they are doing to learn the information they about to learn. I ask them what I should know about them and that when they see me in the hallway, to say hi and tell me their name - I do want to learn everyone's name and eventually, I will learn their name - so when I shake their hand @ graduation, I know their name - I owe each student that
Thanks, William. Please keep doing this as you may be the only person who smiles at some of the students that day, especially the evening students who worked all day.
I always feel compeled to say hello to students even if I do noy know them. Generally one smile creates another.
Oh my goodness, this is so true!!! A smile and "Hello" have a domino effect.
Thanks, Shelia
Little things mean a lot. Thanks for sharing this, Dorothea.
