Do all schools do a lot of handshaking?

[KBecks]

I'm wondering if this is unique to our school or if it's more universal. They seem to do a lot of handshaking. I noticed it more at orientation, where we shook hands with the teacher three or four times. I know the admissions director looked for handshake and eye contact during our interview, but it seems it's done *a lot*.

What are your experiences?

[eepster]

I visited several schools while trying to pick one, and I don't remember any handshaking. I'm not sure if there was none or if it was just quick and not memorable.

[OnTheBrink]

Do you mean adults or children?

I don't think I've ever shook hands with the staff at my kids' school. I hug them a lot, though!

My kids, however, shake hands with their teachers when they arrive in the morning and when they leave in the afternoon. It's part of their classroom routine/culture.

[mamalemon]

How funny! No handshaking here.

[KBecks]

Originally Posted by OnTheBrink

Do you mean adults or children?

I don't think I've ever shook hands with the staff at my kids' school. I hug them a lot, though!

My kids, however, shake hands with their teachers when they arrive in the morning and when they leave in the afternoon. It's part of their classroom routine/culture.

Both! I shook DS' teacher's hand like 3x, and the admission director's hand and the school director's hand when we were there for orientation. That is fine, I only met the director for the 1st time.

The kids shaking hands with the teacher seems to be a routine thing, and that's probably why the teacher offered a handshake to us as well, to set an example. She also shook Alek's hand after he did a work, although he wanted to give her a "high five".

[alegna]

I've seen it a lot in all true montessori schools around here.

-Angela

[BCFD]

I don't recall wondering why so many handshakes, but when touring our school we probably shook once or twice. The school my children go to is HUGE on hugs. The children are welcomed with hugs and when they go home they hug their guides. All of the teachers will remind my kids, "hey..where is my hug goodbye?" and my oldest DD's teacher even would tell her she loved her. It's a huge, warm, family vibe there and the teachers are VERY sincere. Our school is also very international (Japanese, European, Middle Eastern, American) so I think that has a lot to do with it.

I think handshakes and hugs from guides are GREAT!! Enjoy!

[MattBronsil]

I do a lot of hand shaking. I especially like it at the end of the day when the children are leaving. Even if I have been pulling my hair out all day, my three period lessons just haven't been working, and someone dumped all the cube chain arrow containers over on one rug and it took me 20 minutes to clean up,

shaking hands, looking the child in the eye, and saying goodbye helps to end the day on the right note.
:

I consider this a good part of grace and courtesy.

[Katie063008]

we also do hand shaking as a part of grace and courtesy

[cycle]

Hand shaking and hugs at ds's school, daily.

[Rose-Roget]

I think the teachers have offered their hands a couple of times to my son, but it's forced or a habit he's developed yet. I know that in the good morning song, one of the verses is to "turn to your neighbor and shake their hand." I thought I read that it was part of the grace and courtesy teaching.

[Mum2JocelynAngus]

Our directress shakes each child's hand when they arrive in the morning, & again when they leave. Each child enters/leaves the classroom individually & greets/says goodbye to her. Part of the grace & courtesy, & also fits in very much with Gordon Neufeld's writing about "collecting" children.

[tbone]

The school ds goes to now and the one he went to before both do handshaking with the kids in the morning and usually the afternoon too. The kids are often on the playground during pick up so the afternoon is just sometimes.

[BCFD]

Our school just gave us the latest issue of Tomorrow's Child (starting this year we get every issue free through the school. YAY!) and on page 38 there is a picture of a teacher and student shaking hands and underneath the picture it says "Lessons in grace, courtesy, & community service".

It's the "special expanded issue".

[mamalemon]

Well, after I said that I had never seen any handshaking, I noticed quite a bit this morning. DS's teacher introduced him to a new student and made them "buddies" for the day and encouraged them to shake hands along with a rhyme (something about "shake my hand, your friend I'll be..?". Then I went in to the office t o discuss something and had two different faculty members shake hands with me.

[eepster]

Ok, today was the first day of class and they tried to get all the kids to shake hands when they arrived and then again when it was time to leave.

[Koloe]

I saw some earlier this week when my DD refused to leave after her 1 hour ease in time. The director tried to shake her hand as a farewell.

[Aufilia]

In our school the kids are asked to either hug the teacher or shake her hand in greeting when they arrive and when they leave. The teacher tried to get her to shake hands when she arrived at open house last week and DD wanted nothing to do with THAT, but I imagine she'll get into it eventually.

[CityParkMom]

My DD has only been in Montessori for 2 wks but I do know she shakes her teachers hand every morning & when she leaves at least.

[jaxxy]

yes, hand shaking at our M school too.